Silver Millennium Vigenettes
by alizep
Summary: Compilation of interlinked short stories from the Silver Millennium written for sm monthly Jan. challenge. One-shots also fit in with my ongoing story "Dancing With Darkness". These stories include all the Senshi & Shitennou.
1. First Impressions

Endymion sat at the table with his Shitennou, each man with a glass of wine in front of him along with several empty bottles. They had gathered earlier that night in Endymion's guest chambers at the Moon Palace to "discuss" the ongoing Alliance talks. This was the first time that the Shitennou had travelled to the moon and also the first time they had been introduced to the Senshi. For the better part of the day the men had managed to keep their thoughts about the Senshi to themselves, but now that they were in private – and each had several drinks in them – they allowed themselves to discuss the topic. Nephrite had been the first to start the dialog by asking if any of them noticed the legs on the brunette. Kunzite shot him a look to silence him not wanting to start out their first meeting on this note. He was quickly overruled by Jadeite who had some comments of his own for the Martian beauty that paid him little to no heed. Kunzite shook his head and allowed for the men to continue their discussion while he sat back and continued to drink the sweet moon wine.

A couple of hours had since passed and the conversation had not improved in the least now that they were all becoming more and more inebriated by the glass. Even Endymion had joined in the conversation letting them in on some of the more finite details of his affair with the Moon Princess. Eventually each man had decided that they had enough to drink and one by one left the table until only Endymion and Kunzite remained.

"You've been silent most of the night," Endymion mused.

"I believe my fellow soldiers have made more than enough comments about the Senshi's anatomy without my help," Kunzite replied. Although, he thought to himself, the one topic on his mind that no one else seemed to vocalize was the issue of these scantily clad women being soldiers, let alone protectors of the most powerful magic in the universe.

"And your thoughts about working with them?"

"I have none." Kunzite's reply was firm and simple. He reached for the last remaining bottle of wine and having forsaken his wine glass sometime ago, simply downed the remaining fluid in a single gulp straight from the bottle.

"You will be spending a significant amount of time with them if the negotiations go as planned," Endymion prompted.

"If that's what it comes to."

Seeing as he would get nothing further from his lead Shitennou, Endymion decided to retire for the night leaving Kunzite alone at the table. Kunzite sat there for sometime rolling the empty bottle around in his hand and watching as the fire started to burn out in the fireplace. Feeling restless he decided to walk around the Palace to better acquaint himself with the grounds. Although after several turns he realized that he would never be able to remember his adventure from tonight as tomorrow's hangover would probably dull his memory. None the less he continued walking through the halls trying to keep an air of composure to at least give the illusion that he wasn't drunk beyond all comprehension.

Somehow his natural instincts managed to send him in a direction he was familiar with and he found himself in the main ballroom. There was to be a party thrown in their honor the next night (or was it after midnight already?) and he was supposed to meet with the Palace's head of security in the morning to review their security plans.

He wandered through the room and took in his surroundings from the pale colors of the walls, to the intricately carved designs of the ceiling. There was nothing simple about this Palace whether he was in the library or the kitchen everything was lavish and well decorated in its design. His ears detected the slightest sound of footsteps lightly approaching behind him and he turned to find one of the Princess's guards standing several feet away. His brain was slow to process her name after all of the alcohol that he imbibed, although what was slow for him was still quicker than for most. "Sailor Venus." He nodded his head in a gentlemanly sense and continued to watch her as she slowly moved forward. She was probably – no, that's not right – she was the most beautiful of all the Senshi if not the most beautiful woman who had ever taken breath. Stories about her beauty had circulated far and wide about her ability to enchant any man with a single breath but he had scoffed at all of them until he had seen her with his own eyes. Her blonde hair sparkled and her body was absolutely perfect in design. It had taken all of his will power to not stare at her as if he were some love sick adolescent. Even now in his somewhat drunken state he found it difficult to keep his composure. Would her skin be as soft as it looked if he touched it?

"Your majesty," she replied and gave a slightly curtsy in response.

"Please, don't call me that. The title of King is more for decoration than for any practical purpose. Kunzite will do."

"Kunzite then. Is there something I can help you with? It's rather late in the night to be out for a walk," she replied coolly eying him up.

"I wanted to inspect the ballroom for the upcoming event," he lied quickly.

"You're not supposed to meet with me until the morning?"

"You are head of the Palace's security?" The question came out sounding more incredulous that he intended.

She frowned at his tone. "Is there something wrong with that?"

"Nothing," he muttered and turned to walk away before he allowed himself to say anything further.

"If there is going to be a problem perhaps we should discuss the matter," she challenged him.

"We will have plenty of time to discuss everything in the morning."

"Typical," her tone was firm but he could detect the bitterness underneath.

He turned back to face her and couldn't help but to allow the slightest of smiles to show on his face. It was at that point that he realized he shouldn't have engaged her in his current state of mind. But the way she tried to hide her resentment towards him somehow seemed entertaining. "Typical? Perhaps it is you who is judging me if you assume that I am passing a judgment on you. I made no comment about your abilities, I only suggested that we discuss the issues in the morning. Any short comings you may have about yourself do not assume that I believe them as well."

"Kunzite, you are not the first soldier to pass through these halls and assume that only a man can do my job. I assure you that I am the best that there is when it comes to protecting my Princess from any threats. If you have any doubts about my abilities I will be more than happy to give you a demonstration."

"Venus, I have no doubt that you are capable of doing your job and it would be rude of me to assume otherwise. I'm just not sure that a woman makes a better soldier than a man."

She closed the distance between them and could smell the alcohol on his breath. "Or course, how could a woman compare? I am obviously smaller than you and perhaps much less stronger than you. Based on our ages I doubt that I even have as much as experience as you." She watched his face for any changes as she spoke and was impressed at how he managed to stay unchanged even by her proximity. All the better for her she supposed. "You know what the difference is between us though?"

"And what might that be?" he asked with amusement.

"My ability to get close to an enemy. I can set an unsuspecting trap and spring it when I'm ready." She smiled at him and he resisted the urge to smile back, an effect she seemed to have on him. Was this her best defense he wondered? A pretty smile? While he thought over the simplicity of her words she surprised him by quickly pressing against him and catching his lips in her own. She tasted sweet and her touch made his brain feel numb. All too late he realized what she meant by her ability to get close to an enemy – he was her enemy – and before he could react she had unsheathed his sword and now held it against his throat. She pulled back from him and he could see the spark of excitement in her eyes. "Does it matter now whether I am a man or woman? Either way you are a breath away from dying by my hand."

"And you think this proves your point?"

She nudged the blade closer to his neck. "Do you doubt this proves my point?" His eyes matched hers and they stood there locked in a battle of wills. Finally she smiled and stepped away handing him back his sword. She turned and walked out of the room pausing at the doorway. Slowly she looked back to him still standing where she left him and she smiled. "Thank you for the kiss Kunzite. We will discuss the security issues in the morning after breakfast." She continued out of the ballroom and was quickly out of sight.

He stood there trying to shake off the lingering effect of her kiss. She fascinated him and he found himself intrigued at the abilities of this woman who previously stood before him. Without a doubt he would enjoy getting to know her better.


	2. Fireworks

To commemorate the success of the talks between the Earth and the Moon, Queen Serenity arranged to have a fireworks display to honor her guests on their last night on the moon. Many people gathered on the grounds of the Moon Palace to take part in this final celebration. Everyone was mesmerized by the beauty of the exploding lights and so did not take notice of the lone couple watching from side. Her hands were clasped behind her back as she fought with herself not to make eye contact with the handsome man in front of her.

"Do you think I'm being insincere?" Kunzite asked her.

"No, I don't think you are," Venus replied softly.

"Then why won't you accept my apology?"

"I have."

"You have barely spoken to me since we arrived on the moon several days ago. I only meant my comment in jest."

_Once again Serenity had snuck off to Earth to be with Endymion leaving Venus with the responsibility of retrieving her. She finally managed to stumble upon the couple hiding in the forest, locked in each __other's__ embrace. They made quite the __contrast,__ Serenity was short and petite with silvery hair in a flowing white __gown__ while Endymion stood nearly a head taller with dark hair and tanned skin, outfitted in his dark armor. Yet somehow, despite the contrast, they seemed to fit together so naturally.__ It was unfortunate that Venus had no choice but to separate them again._

_"Princess!"__ Venus chided._

_One of Endymion's Shitennou stepped in front of her and spoke with a teasing smile, "It must be hard having a bundle of curiosity for a Princess."_

_Her eyes met his and she was __once again __taken aback by how handsome he was. Kunzite, first in command of the Earth army__, was the only man she had ever shied away from__. She looked away trying to hide her furious blushing. How did this man have such an effect on her?_

_"Kunzite!"__ Endymion looked at the other man, almost scolding him for Venus's reaction._

"Everything is fine Kunzite. Please let's just enjoy the fireworks display being held in honor of the Prince and his court's visit."

Their first encounter did not bode well for either of them having fought in their first real meeting. He had been pigheaded and insulted her ability to protect her Princess as a female soldier. She on the other hand had been rash and pulled his sword on him. They eventually had apologized to each other for their actions and had agreed to work together as equals. Despite their words things still weren't that simple to fix. Kunzite was unable to deny his attraction to the blonde goddess and found himself seeking her out more than he would have intended to. She had done the opposite, trying to avoid him in order to ignore her growing attraction to him. They both knew that they should not allow their fondness for one another to grow into anything more, but with each passing day, even separated by the distance of their homes they found it more and more difficult.

"As long as the Alliance between Earth and the moon continues to grow, as well as the Princess's adoration of my Prince, we will be spending time working together. It would be best if we could put aside any feelings of animosity."

"Are you accusing me of being irrational?" She looked over at him for the first time.

"You're trying to provoke me into an argument."

Venus sighed. "I apologize, I haven't been myself lately. I've been distracted." She attempted to smile for Kunzite's benefit. Her eyes drifted back over to the crowd of onlookers who watched the sky attentively admiring each flash and sparkle. Each explosion glowed with a myriad of colors shaping itself it shapes and streamers. In the center of it all sat Serenity with Endymion close by her side. The remaining Senshi and Shitennou were intermingled within the crowd to keep watch over the royal couple. Tensions had been running slightly higher than normal with the visiting guests from Earth and every precaution was being taken to ensure the safety of the royal family. Her Senshi all stood on their own yet somehow seemed to be flanked by one of Endymion's Shitennou. The only couple interacting since their original meeting was Mercury and Zoicite. They seemed to get along from the start always chatting about one thing or another. Venus actually found herself enjoying Zoicite's company at times. He was well spoken and polite, not abrasive like Nephrite whom Jupiter seemed to take a liking to, or Jadeite who seemed disinterested most of the time. Although despite his feigned boredom Venus knew that he always took more notice to his surroundings once Mars had entered the room. Her friend was beautiful and at times Venus wondered to herself how she could hold the title Goddess of Beauty when that clearly could have gone to the Princess of Mars. Her insecurities only seemed magnified when in the presence of the man in front of her. The one who made her heart beat intensely by his proximity alone. The one who was watching her so intently now. The one that she couldn't stop thinking of since she kissed him.

She felt a tingle in her mind and looked over to her Princess before turning back to Kunzite. "My Princess is calling me, I should go."

"She contacts you without so much as a signal or device?" Kunzite asked intrigued.

"I, we, that is myself and my Senshi share a bond together. I would imagine that you have something similar with your Prince."

"We call it a sixth sense."

"An interesting name for it I suppose." Venus looked at Kunzite as if she had something more to say but then turned and walked away without another word. He had hoped to see her again before they all left in the morning to return to Earth but for one reason or another she had not shown up to see them off. As he walked into the transporter he couldn't help but to feel disappointed by her absence. It would be a while before he would return to the moon again and he felt regret that he had not been able to make things right between them.


	3. Questions

"I've never seen you at such a loss dealing with a woman before," Jadeite said to Kunzite as they followed after Serenity and Endymion, keeping a safe distance behind. The couple was so enthralled with each other that they wouldn't have noticed the two Shitennou even if they were standing in front of them.

"She's not just another woman. None of the Princess's Senshi are."

Jadeite laughed thinking of his own encounters with the Martian Princess. "I've found that out the hard way as well. I think we all did. Maybe you should bring her a gift the next time you visit as a peace offering."

"I can't imagine someone like her being won over by a piece of jewelry. She's worth so much more than that."

"Surely you are not head over heels in love with her already?"

"There's something about her that when you look at her you can't help but to fall for her. Her features are so perfect that it almost hurts to watch her for too long." He sighed shaking his head. "I don't understand why I am having so much difficulty with her. This has never been a problem before. With her it's like being in a maze or some labyrinth and every chance I take with her just gets me further off course and trapped in another dead end."

"Have you spoken to her?"

"Not recently." His face fell into a frown. "Apparently I embarrassed her with some teasing remark the last time she was here."

"A blow to a soldier's ego can be quite damaging."

"A soldier," Kunzite snorted. "Despite what we have seen it's still preposterous."

"I think that is where you have lost your case with her."

"Am I really taking advice from you?"

"It was bound to happen eventually," Jadeite smiled. "After all, it was only a matter of time before all of your wisdom started to rub off on the rest of us my fearless leader."

"You are so full of it."

"You need to go to her and fall on your own sword. Apologize and let her know that you were wrong. After what you have done to her ego I think it's only fair that you take the same hit to your own."

Kunzite debated his friend's words, trying to consider her as his equal on the battlefield knowing that if his own abilities to protect his Prince were called into question there would be much bloodshed in proving otherwise. "You are going to the Moon with the Prince for the weekend aren't you?"

"It's my rotation yes," Jadeite answered suspiciously.

"It was," Kunzite said firmly.

"I have plans once I get there," the younger man protested.

"You did and now you don't."

"I'm not going to allow you to pull rank on me Kunzite."

"I will give you a choice Jadeite – either I will go to the moon in your stead or I will tell the others about how you made a fool of yourself to the Martian Princess. I'm sure it will make quite an interesting story over dinner when they hear about how you nearly cut off your own foot trying to impress her with your swordsmanship. Although how you ever got yourself contorted like that I'll never understand."

"Fine. But only because you asked so nicely." Jadeite replied bitterly.


	4. Warped

"You shouldn't be here," Sailor Venus said to the slowly approaching figure. Her eyes remained forward despite the presence arriving from behind her.

"I'm surprised that you heard me," Kunzite mused.

"Despite your warped opinion about women as protectors I am a Senshi and I am always on watch. Nothing gets by me." He stood next to her on the balcony overlooking the gardens. Her eyes scanned the gardens for any possible threats to her Princess who was strolling on the grounds below her leisurely arm-in-arm with Endymion. "I thought it was the blonde's turn to play babysitter to your Prince."

"Jadeite's yes, it was. However I asked that he let me take over his patrol for the weekend."

"What you mean is you pulled rank to get your pass here."

"I asked nicely if it makes any difference."

"You knew that it was my watch as well."

"I did, that's what made this exchange all the more important. I want to apologize to you Princess, I only meant my comment in jest, I never meant to embarrass you as I did."

"It is already forgotten, Kunzite."

"Then why have you refused to speak with me for so long? Have I done something else to anger you?"

"I am only concerned for the welfare of my Princess, there is no time for my own selfish desires."

"Surely your Princess would be sad to hear you say that."

"Then maybe you will be so kind as to not repeat my words to her." Several moments of silence passed between them and Venus fought the urge to fidget. Having him this close to her always made her uneasy. He was handsome beyond her imagination and had the most addicting scent to him that it took all she had not to melt under the constant watch of his cool gaze. He would never understand how she felt nor would he return her feelings – according to everyone who knew him it was not his way. How had she found herself in this unrequited love? They didn't even know each other yet somehow her instincts told her that she would be with him. Maybe if she were closer in his age he would give her more credit to her abilities. As it was he was only 6 years older, but right now it seemed as though it were 60. He stood tall and exuded confidence with every breath – why would he be concerned with a girl such as herself?

"I could be so kind if I choose," his body faced hers and he gently placed his hand on her chin turning her face to meet his. "Or I could offer my silence in exchange for your forgiveness."

She could feel her heart beating against her chest and wondered if he could hear it as well. Why did he have to stand so close that their bodies were practically touching? 'I could kiss him,' she thought to herself. 'I could lean forward over the small distance and bring our lips together. But would he laugh at me? Would he think me to be the weaker sex?'

Their eyes continued to meet, neither blinking nor deferring their eyes elsewhere. Venus brought her hand to rest on top of Kunzite's and leaned forward to kiss him. His free hand moved to cover the hilt of his sword while pulling back from her. She frowned as she noticed the new placement of his hand. "Do you mean to attack me?"

A small smile crossed his face and her heart fluttered in response. "The last time you kissed me I found my own sword at my neck. I've learned that you can be a dangerous woman, Minako."

"Why would you call me that?"

"Isn't that your name?"

"Here I am known as Venus."

"But I prefer Minako, it is such a beautiful name for such a beautiful Goddess." His hand skimmed the side of her face, carefully brushing away some stray hair that had been displaced by a passing breeze. She looked peaceful standing on the balcony with the breeze ruffling the skirt of her fuku.

"You're too kind," she replied softly.

"I speak the truth."

"Is that why you traded shifts? To come to the Moon and whisper these words to me?"

"I told you, Minako, I came to see you."

"And what would you want with me?"

"To do exactly what you have just done." He leaned forward to kiss her again, his fingers tangling in her hair.

She pulled back from him. "We can't do this, not here. Look for me tonight, I will meet you in my gardens." Slowly she turned away from him and her long hair trailed through his fingers as the distance between them increased.


	5. Me Watching You, Watching Me

Kunzite walked into the Princess of Venus's private gardens to find the blonde beauty sitting wistfully on the edge of the heart shaped fountain. She always appeared to be deep in thought when he would approach her, but he knew that she was always alert despite her appearance. Her fuku was a reminder to him that this delicate girl was anything but, always trying to prove the strength of the soldier within her. Once she had shown him that she had no qualms or fears when it came to protecting her Princess and it was enough to make him wonder what type of a sparring partner she would make. The gentleman in him would force him to hold back, but the soldier in him would compel him to fight despite her gender – which part of him, he wondered, would dominate in the competition?

No words needed to be said, without any type of visual confirmation he knew that she was aware of him standing there. It didn't matter how quiet he stepped or whether he stood upwind of her, she always knew it was him. When she was ready she would speak to him, until then he would have to wait. Patience had always been his strong suite, unless it involved her. Although after several moments passed he found himself itching to initiate the conversation with her. She was mysterious and he was drawn to her in these moments of silence.

"I'm surprised that you would ask to meet me somewhere so private, Princess." His voice came across low and deep, rumbling slightly in her ears.

"You don't need to address me so formally."

"Then shall I call you Sailor Venus?"

"No…." her voice drifted off and hers eyes still never turned to meet his. "I like when you call me Minako. It reminds me that every once in a while I am still human despite all of my titles and powers."

"Then Minako it is." Her eyes closed tightly the moment he said her name. "Is something wrong?" The concern in his voice only made her want to pull back further. What was she thinking asking him to meet her like this? What would the others say if they found them here? Was it worth the risk to her reputation for him? Of course. He was worth the sacrifice no matter how great the cost.

"What are we doing?"

"At this moment we are attempting to hold a conversation, although I fear that we are not succeeding."

She gracefully rose from her seated position and he watched as she straightened out her long form, her hair falling softly down her back. How did one woman manage to be so beautiful with such a simple movement?

"I fear that you are correct. Perhaps I was wrong to ask you to meet me like this. It isn't proper for us to be off on our own when we have our lieges to protect."

He closed the last bit of distance between them and placed his hand on her cheek. The action making her want to swoon as her heart started beating firmly against her chest again.

"I don't care about appearances, Minako. As I said earlier, I came here to the Moon to see you."

"And now that you have apologized what is left to discuss?"

"Us," he said simply and confidently.

"Us," she repeated, images of kissing him again floating through her mind. "And what of us?"

"I'm not sure. It seems like you are trying to avoid me yet your actions speak differently. I watch you, Minako, I see the way your eyes look over to me but turn away as I'm about to meet yours."

"I'm curious about the Prince's protectors."

"No, you're not. You're curious about me."

"Then I will stop."

"I'm not asking you too." His lips formed into a soft smile.

"And what is it that you are asking of me? To admit to feelings that I shouldn't have? Will you laugh at my words?"

"I would hope that someone who kisses so passionately would also speak no less so." She struggled to not blush at his words but despite her best efforts her checks still turned a soft pink. "I wouldn't expect you to blush so easily," he teased her, making her even more resolved to stop blushing.

"Because my element is Venus? You would believe me to be some seductress? Isn't that a bit stereo typical even for you?"

She moved to step back but was halted when his arm reached around her waist, his hand resting on the small of her back. He didn't hold her or stop her from moving any further away, he didn't have to. "I learned some time ago to never make assumptions about anything when it comes to you."

Her heart was beating faster by the second and she was sure that he could hear each echoing beat as it sounded against her chest. The throbbing echoed in her ears along with the baritone of his voice and the scent of him filled her nostrils, his warmth spreading over her skin. Within moments of coming in contact with him he managed to have this effect on her every time. How could this be?

"Can I kiss you, Minako?" His voice was deep and the depths of his eyes seemed endless. Words failed her and she merely nodded her head. Time stopped as she anticipated his kiss, his lips ever so slowly moving towards her own.


	6. Chance Encounters

Once again the Moon Princess snuck away to Earth to visit her Prince – something that had become a bit of a ritual as of late. Sailor Venus immediately followed after, by all appearances angry at having to chase the monarch for disobeying her mother's orders. In reality though, Venus relished these moments so that she would be able to spend a few moments with the Prince's lead Shitennou. Some days he would be the one guarding Endymion, and other days it would be one of the other Shitennou – those other days left Venus feeling disappointed. But on the occasional day when he was there they would have a few moments to exchange words before she would have to depart with the Princess in tow. Normally Serenity and Endymion would arrange to meet somewhere private, but today they were on the outskirts of the Palace. Venus, terrified that her Princess may be seen, immediately ran over and grabbed the girl, ready to teleport away at a moment's notice. Endymion quickly tried to reassure her that he wouldn't let anything happen to Serenity, but it still did little to ease Venus's concern. That is until she saw him. Kunzite. He always appeared to be disinterested and stoic whenever anyone would see him, but Venus knew that was only the mask he wore for his role as the leader of the Shitennou – it was the same mask that she wore as the leader of the Senshi.

Kunzite and Venus started to argue over the Princess's presence on Earth, at which point Endymion and Serenity slipped away to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. "Do you really think I would allow anything to happen to Serenity while she was here?" Kunzite asked sternly.

"She is my charge and I can take care of her on my own."

"I see. Then how is it she was able to slip away from you so easily once more?"

"Are you challenging my abilities as a soldier?"

"I'm sure you know my feelings on that by now."

Venus glanced over to see the Prince and Princess were now out of hearing range. "Do I know your feelings now?" she asked teasingly.

"Would you have me show you now?" he smiled at her.

"Perhaps later."

"We're going to have to find better ways to meet."

"Maybe you could join me on a trip to Venus as an ambassador to Earth." Kunzite stopped smiling and Venus could sense his hesitation. "Are you afraid to make the journey with me?"

"I shouldn't be away from my Prince for so long."

"It would only be a couple of days. We would finally be unsupervised by prying eyes."

"That would be a pleasant change."

"Then I will arrange it," she smiled softly. "It will take some time though. Are you sure you won't lose interest in me by then?"

He pulled her towards him and gently kissed her. "I will never lose interest in you."

"Thank you," she whispered against his lips. "Until the next time then." She winked at him playfully before turning on her heel to seek out her Princess who seemed to have eluded her once more.


	7. Girls Night Out

The room felt alive that night, echoing with the resonance of music and laughter. A large chandelier hung over the center of the room creating a luminous glow over the multitude of dancers. Shadows were cast on the outskirts of the room creating a romantic atmosphere illuminated only by candle light lining the tan walls with burgundy accents. Many of the party goers had long since spilled out onto the grounds outside for some fresh air and a quieter place to hold private discussions. The royal family of Earth had thrown a masque in honor of visiting dignitaries from the surrounding areas in an attempt to unite the people of Earth under the Golden Kingdom. Endymion had tried his hardest to stay hidden among the throngs of people but not even his white mask would conceal his true identity. With his dark hair, tanned skin and bold blue eyes blending in was never an option, especially when he was constantly being shadowed by one of his Shitennou. As the song came to an end, his current dance partner clung to him hoping to get in another dance with him. It had taken some gentle persuading and the promise of another dance later in the evening to get her to release him from her almost painful grasp. He watched her walking away, red hair falling in gentle waves swishing in her wake and breathed a sigh of relief that he had bought himself at least a moment of peace. Did his Shitennou not see these women as a threat to his well being or were they finding amusement in his struggles?

He could hear a giggle sounding out from behind him and he turned his head to see a flash of long silvery hair disappearing out of the corner of his eye. A smile formed on his face and he quickly spun his body around the other way to entrap the beautiful girl in his arms. She pouted for a second before erupting into another round of giggling. "How did you get here?" he whispered against her hair, which he now noticed hung straight down her back instead of being set in her normal pair of odangos. A thin pink mask rested on her nose, doing very little to hide the amused expression lighting up her light blue eyes.

"I snuck away, just for a little while anyway," she responded, eyes wide with delight.

"And what about Venus? How soon before she comes to steal you away again?"

Serenity smiled knowingly. "We don't have to worry about her for tonight. She came with me this time, almost willingly at that."

"How did you manage this?"

"She won't admit it to me, but I think she has a crush on one of your Shitennou."

"Which one?"

"Maybe Jadeite. I've seen them whispering to each other a few times."

"That's your logic?" he grinned at her. "Then by those rules she's also been seen talking with Kunzite."

Serenity laughed. "Can you imagine the two of them? The way that they fight with each other? They each have territorial boundaries that I don't think the other would be bold enough to cross."

"All the more reason why they might be fascinated by one other. I would imagine that Jadeite would be too brooding for her."

"Then we'll wait to see which one she avoids the most tonight and then we will know for sure."

"So what do we do until then?" he smiled softly at her, adoration present in his eyes.

"Well if your admirer isn't coming back then maybe you can dance with me."

"You are the only admirer that counts, Serenity," he gently kissed her cheek and pulled her into his arms and onto the dance floor.

Across the room stood a blonde haired beauty leaning against a wall, her eyes intensely fixated on the woman with long silvery locks and the tall man with ebony hair that held her closer than the blonde would have liked. She could feel a pair of eyes focused no less intensely on her own back, before she felt his body in close proximity to her own.

"I would think that you would relax at least a little knowing that she was in good hands," his baritone voice spoke softly into her ear.

"That's not the only couple I have my eye on tonight," she answered with a smirk.

"I can assure you that Jadeite will be on his best behavior this evening."

"Can you really assure me this?"

"He knows that I am watching him."

"And she knows that I am watching her."

"So then who is watching us?" his fingers lightly trailed down her arms sending a shiver down her spine.

Minako's eyes darted around the room to where Rei and Jadeite were dancing off to the side. Rei held him at a distance, but every few steps she would allow him to pull her closer before stepping back again. This was their dance, Minako noticed. Rei would not profess her interest as easily as Jadeite was willing to, yet she was clear in that no one else would have him. Nobody was watching her as an example, Minako thought to herself sadly. Rei would not find herself on the same pedestal that the Queen had placed her on when making her the leader of the Senshi. Everyone looked to her for boundaries and rules and once she set them, she could not cross them. But once in a while, when her Senshi only thought that she wasn't looking, she would allow them the simple pleasures that she denied herself. Simple pleasures such as finding herself in love with a man as handsome as the one who now breathed in her scent and made her want to give up her many titles just to spend one night in his arms. "It appears that no one is watching us at this moment."

"We could dance you know," he took her hand in his. "If anyone asks it was for the sake of your Princess and my Prince."

"I don't know if that would be a good idea," her free hand moved to absently rub her ribs.

He noticed the moment and turned her to face him. "Why do you look so pale? Are you not feeling well?"

"I'm almost embarrassed to say."

"What could be that bad? Did you hurt yourself."

"Something like that," she muttered.

"Something like that?" he repeated.

"It's this dress. Serenity insisted that we dress in clothing native to your planet and I fear that this piece," she gestured around her waist pitifully, "is a bit….restricting."

"The corset?" he asked her.

"Corset," she rolled the word over her tongue. "If that's what is called then yes. How do women on your planet breathe when wearing one of these?"

He laughed. "That is a mystery that I have never been able to solve. But if it makes any difference, I think you look absolutely breathtaking tonight."

"Then I suppose this makes my slow death by suffocation all the more worthwhile," she laughed.

"Then I suppose I would be forced to breathe life back into you," his lips gently brushed her own.

"You always seem to have the right words to say," she whispered.

"Only where you're concerned," he smiled, lightly adjusting the white mask perched upon her nose.

Endymion glanced in the direction of Kunzite and noticed him leaning over a blonde haired girl clothed in a blue dress and hidden behind a feathered mask. Kunzite leaned forward and appeared to be adjusting the ornate mask of the girl as if he knew her intimately. Interesting, he thought to himself, this was a change of events for the silver haired man who normally seemed more reserved at these functions. For a moment he wondered who the girl could be until he remembered Serenity's words. Venus was here on Earth under the suspicion that she may have feelings for one of his Shitennou. Could it really be possible that she and Kunzite might be romantically involved despite their arguments? Serenity looked up at him wondering where his attention was diverted to. He quickly spun her from his arms and back again, trying to distract her from noticing the couple hiding in the corner. If they did not want to admit their affections for one another he certainly would not be the one to tell their secret. That didn't mean, however, that he wouldn't press Kunzite for details when the night was over.


	8. The Unmasking

The masque finally ended well after midnight and Endymion found himself exhausted and ready to end the night as he bid the remaining guests their farewells. All too early it seemed Venus had swept in and stole his Serenity from his arms, stating that they had to return home before it became any later. It had been a sad parting, but he knew that it wouldn't last for long. It rarely did with Serenity, much to Venus's distress. What Endymion didn't miss after their departure was the sullen look his lead Shitennou wore for the remainder of the night – or for at least the few sparse moments he had as the woman with red hair found him again, reminding him of his promise for another dance. Her name eluded him all night and at some point he lost interest in trying to remember at all. He was more so content to remember the feel of Serenity in his arms rather than deal with his current line of would be admirers.

Once the spacious ballroom began to empty itself of visitors, Endymion cast Kunzite a look, advising him to follow as he made his exit outside. In return, Kunzite signaled to the remaining Shitennou that they could retire for the night. Although judging by the look Nephrite was giving to the petite blonde on his arm he doubted that retiring was on his mind at all. Jadeite seemed relieved to forgo the smile he had plastered on his face at Kunzite's urgings and was quickly gone from the room. On the opposite end stood Zoicite, who seemed to be flirting shamelessly with the two women standing before him. It was normal for the younger man to find himself surrounded by a crowd of admirers. He was the only one out of the four that seemed to thrive on these events and so people were naturally drawn to him. Although despite his deferred attentions, Kunzite knew that his mind was always alert towards the activities surrounding the Prince.

Kunzite followed Endymion out onto the credenza where they stood under the glow of the moon. Endymion seemed to be looking at Kunzite suspiciously, but Kunzite said nothing, instead opting to wait for his Prince to make his intentions known. Endymion sighed and shook his head, almost as if he were having the entire conversation with himself. Finally, he verbalized what he had been wanting to say for the better part of the night. "So who was the blonde that you spent the night entranced by? By all appearances it seems like she is someone that you care very deeply for."

"The blonde?" Kunzite asked, offering no hint that he had any inclination of what Endymion was asking.

"Are you really going to be coy at a time like this?"

"Perhaps the Prince has danced with a few too many women tonight that he has misplaced their images."

Endymion frowned at Kunzite's words. "Are you refusing to tell me her name?"

"And who was the lovely woman with red hair that held you captive for most of the night?"

Endymion's face fell even further. "Let's not speak of her again. She was absolutely infuriating."

"So infuriating that you never stopped dancing with her?"

"Normally I would have expected that at least one of my loyal Shitennou would have stepped in to put an end to my suffering."

"There was no threat being made to your life. We cannot intervene at your discretion otherwise we would never get anything done."

"Discretion?" Endymion laughed. "I think all of you were too busy having fun at my expense to "get anything done" as you so put it."

Kunzite grinned. "It's all a matter of perspective then. So if that is all I will be retiring for the night." He bowed his head and walked back inside, leaving Endymion to glance up at the moon thinking of the girl with silver hair who surely was looking back at the Earth, thinking of him. With a shake of his head he brought himself back to his previous line of thought only to realize that Kunzite had managed to slip away without revealing the identity of the blonde behind the white feathered mask.


	9. Daydreams

He watched her from across the room, admiring how gracefully she moved as she walked alongside of her Princess. The man wanted nothing more than to fade into the background and continue to observe her, but his Shitennou uniform would never allow him that. He wore his uniform proudly as it was a badge of honor to him to have achieved his rank at such a young age. At times he would think to himself about how Kunzite, as strong and magnificent as he was, did not obtain his position until he was 19 – 2 years older than Zoicite's current age. It was fate that delivered all of them to their current lives, but he hoped that somehow it was something even more that brought him to this present status at his age. Otherwise, he thought, he may have never met the beautiful Mercurian Princess. She was everything that he could have dreamed of, yet she seemed to be so unobtainable to him.

Her soft melodious voice carried over to him as she spoke with her Princess and he continued to admire how her inky dark hair contrasted beautifully against her pale skin. He could only imagine to himself how wonderful it would feel to actually reach out and touch her, to hold her in his arms. She looked over her shoulder to notice him staring and smiled before returning her full attention back to Serenity. His cheeks became tinged with pink as he turned away trying to make himself look less obvious. Surely she knew how he felt even if he was too afraid to vocalize his feelings. She was his first love and his only love.


	10. Swordplay

"I want you to teach me to fight like you do," Venus looked to Kunzite.

He stood like a dear in headlights, his sword hand frozen in place mid-stroke as he slowly turned to look at the blonde standing behind him.

There had been a nonstop barrage of meetings since Endymion's arrival on the moon, and through it all Kunzite had hardly been able to find time to take a break from it all. Currently he was between his previous meeting and the scheduled dinner that was to take place in ten minutes. He had entered his room with every intention of laying down for a few minutes to ease the pounding in his head, but instead decided that he needed to work off some of his excess energy and so headed towards the Senshi's training grounds hoping to find them empty. Once he arrived he let out a sigh of relief that he would have the peace that he was looking for. He unsheathed his sword and swung it in several large arcs, enjoying the heavy feel of the blade against his palm. At some point he became so focused on his movements that he did not even notice the slim blonde girl that had slipped into the arena, which brought him to his current predicament. "Teach you?" he asked, slowly lowering his arm so that the tip of the blade rested against the floor.

"Yes," she closed the distance between them. "Teach me to fight with a sword like you do."

"I'm sure there's someone else who could-," he attempted to protest.

"There is no one else," she interrupted him. "I have already been trained by the best the Moon guard has to offer. None of them move the way you do."

"Perhaps you should ask Jadeite instead. He is a master swordsman."

"Are you afraid to teach me?"

"It's not that," he hesitated.

"Do you think you're too advanced for me?" she contested, stepping to the side as if she were going to circle him in challenge. "I can assure you that will not be the case." She rested her hand on top of his sword hand and slowly pulled the blade from his grasp. "This is very nice sword," her hands expertly welded it as her eyes glossed over the surface. "It looked heavier."

"Than?" he questioned, raising one eyebrow.

"Than my own."

"May I see it," he asked.

She froze and he cringed as she allowed the tip of the blade to clatter against the ground. "I'm not supposed to let anyone else use it. I don't even know if you would be able to hold it."

"Well seeing as how you just put a chip in my sword I would think that it was only fair to trade."

Venus cast her eyes around the arena to ensure that they were alone. "This stays between us. Do you understand?" Her voice sounded urgent as her eyes stared intently at him.

"You can trust me, Minako. I thought you would have understood that by now."

"I do," she answered hesitantly before calling her sword to her hand.

His eyes opened wide as he took in the sword made of crystal. The sword glowed briefly in her hand as if every light in the room were suddenly drawn to it before dimming in its intensity. "What is this?" he held out his hand and gently took the sword from her, amazed by the intense weight. Even now the beauty of the sword continued to stun him, his eyes still set on the sheen of the afterglow.

"It is made from the same material as the Silver Crystal. This sword has been entrusted to me as leader of the Senshi. I treasure it above all else," she responded.

"I've never seen anything like this before, it's spectacular." He stepped back from her and tested his motion with the blade. At first his movements felt awkward under its weight, but then as he gripped it tighter he could feel the sword growing lighter in his hands until he was able to make smooth fluid motions, even more so than when he held his own blade that he had trained on since he was a young boy. "I can feel the power in this sword."

"It has accepted you."

"I don't understand," he stopped swinging the sword and held the hilt firmly in one hand and rested the flat end of the blade in the other. "How can this accept me? It is not a living being."

"This sword radiates with the power of the Silver Crystal – it is very much alive." With a smile she stepped back from him and held his sword up, posed for an attack. "Now will you teach me to fight like you?"

"I think it is you that has taught me something," he finally pulled his eyes away from her sword still clasped tightly in his hands. "We're expected for dinner any minute now."

"We won't be missing anything important. I doubt that we will even be missed."

"Then how about we compromise," he reached forward and pulled her close to him, one arm wrapped tightly around her waist, both warriors holding the other's sword at their side. "Why don't we wait until after everyone is asleep, and we can meet then so that we can practice uninterrupted?"

"Tonight?" she smiled seductively. "Are we still talking about using our swords?"

"Did you have a different request of me?" he countered.

"Several in fact," her smile seemed to widen. "I hope you realize that I am at my best in the later hours of the night."

"I look forward to the challenge then," he eyes reflected her amusement.


	11. Confidence

"You're not as fierce as you would like me to believe," the man with the long auburn hair taunted her.

"Are you challenging me to another round?" she responded, pulling her long hair into her preferred ponytail.

"I'm always looking for a new opponent," he answered back, slowly circling her and finally coming to a stop on her right side, just slightly behind her.

"Do you feel the way that your leader does about women as soldiers?" her voice rose slightly in pitch.

"He has his own issues with women that the rest of us choose not to get involved in. I, on the other hand, am an admirer of women." He stepped closer to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, still standing behind her. "When I see you, I see all of you. You are a soldier, it's written clearly in your eyes. But underneath that you are still a woman who wants to be appreciated for her beauty."

"Is that what you see?" she laughed.

"I want to see more of you, Makoto," he whispered in her ear, gently placing a kiss by her earlobe. His words caused her to stop laughing and to turn her head to look back at him. Her emerald eyes were wide as she watched the smile spread over his face like a Cheshire cat. "A lot more."

She could feel her heart beating strongly in her chest and could do little more than nod her head dumbly as she was caught in the depths of his eyes.


	12. Sticky Situations

At first _angry_ was the word that Zoicite wanted to use to describe how he felt at the moment – but then he decided that was hardly descriptive enough. Perhaps livid or enraged would at least come a bit closer. Somehow an innocent encounter had turned into something gone so horribly wrong.

He had been strolling through the Moon Palace hoping to encounter the Mercurian Princess he had grown fond of when he heard hushed voices coming from another corridor. Curious, as he tended to be, he turned to follow the voices, recognizing one instantly to be Jadeite's. Zoicite followed the voices until he reached the end of the hallway, then he carefully peered around the corner to find the source of the conversation. It was there that he had found Jadeite with none other than the Martian Princess. She was dressed in a silky red gown and was standing with her back against the stark white wall. Jadeite hovered over her, standing precariously close with one arm propping him up against the same wall, their noses nearly touching from the closeness of their proximity.

Zoicite grinned to himself realizing that he had finally stumbled upon Jadeite's secret. For quite some time now Jadeite had been mysteriously disappearing for extended amounts of time, claiming that he simply found himself lost in the halls of the Moon Palace. This seemed to be a ludicrous explanation if Zoicite ever heard one – especially considering that Jadeite was notorious for his tracking abilities. This though, this finally explained everything. It was no secret that he fancied the raven haired girl, but the fact that she did indeed return the sediment was something new.

Jadeite leaned in and kissed her lightly on her check, to which she smiled in return. Zoicite slowly took a step back so as to avoid being seen and as he turned he had the misfortune of bumping into one of the Palace servants who then proceeded to drop the contents of her serving tray all over him. The loud clatter of the plates crashing onto the floor echoed down the hallway, and if that wasn't enough, the poor girls shouts of apologizes was sure to draw the attention of anyone within a 2 mile radius. Zoicite looked down on himself to see that he was now covered with a pitcher of wine and several other food items – most notably what appeared to be a tomato was now smeared across his white jacket. He quickly looked over to where Rei and Jadeite stood to see that they were now staring at him wide eyed. To make matters worse, somehow Kunzite had also been drawn to the hallway and now stood with a grin plastered to his face as he took in Zoicite's appearance. That is until he looked over to where the other couple was standing and a frown suddenly overtook his features.

Kunzite turned to the couple and Jadeite almost shirked in response, knowing the chastising that was sure to follow. Seeing as how Kunzite was never one to disappoint when it came to discipline, Jadeite was quickly given a scolding for being caught standing so indecently. Rei merely gave him a glare that almost rivaled Kunzite's own before turning and walking away. Jadeite attempted to follow her but was stopped when Kunzite spoke again, telling him that he may pursue the Martian Princess later with an apology after they were done talking. In the meantime, Zoicite worked on carefully extracting the food from his uniform all the while telling the servant girl that he wasn't angry – even when that wasn't truly the case, but why make her day any worse than his own? He glanced down at his sword to realize that the wine not absorbed by his clothing had managed to spill down the length of his sword and it was now also covered in the sticky substance. At least his hair had managed to escape unscathed.

Perhaps out of pity more than anything, Kunzite told Zoicite to take the remainder of the afternoon off to clean himself up before resuming his duties later that night. Jadeite, on the other hand, appeared as though Kunzite was nowhere near done with him. For a moment, Zoicite imagined himself being in Jadeite's position as he also pursued one of the Senshi that he had been pre-warned not to have relations with. It seemed as though when something was that important you had no choice but to proceed despite the obvious risks.

So now, here he was, walking through the halls of the Moon Palace covered in a multitude of colors and trying not to outwardly scowl as every person he passed blatantly stared at him. Finally he exited the Palace on the South end. He had been told that there was a pond on the outskirts of the Palace grounds and he figured that would be as good of a place as any to hide out and clean his self up. Most importantly he was concerned about what the sticky substance would do to his sword if he didn't clean it as soon as possible. This day was not off to a good start that was for sure. Although at the very least Kunzite did give him the remainder of the afternoon off which he certainly couldn't complain about.

With a sigh, Zoicite finally arrived at the small pond and found it deserted – just like he had been hoping for. He approached the two large boulders that sat on the water's edge and started to unclasp his cape, letting it drop unceremoniously to the ground in a heap. Next he worked at pulling off his jacket which now started to feel stiff from the myriad of substances it absorbed. He kneeled by the water and scooped up a handful of the clear fluid, shivering at the cold temperature as he splashed the water against his chest trying to feel at least a little less disgusted. Deciding that a full scrub down in the shower was inevitable he sat on the nearest boulder and swung his legs over onto the other boulder, resting his boots against the rough surface. He unsheathed his sword and started working on cleaning the sticky fluid from the once shiny façade, grumbling to himself that this day had to get better for the sake of his sanity.


	13. Understanding

At her first break of the day, Mercury slipped from the Palace's interior and headed outside – eager to spend a few minutes on her own by the pond on the South edge of the Palace's borders. Venus requested that all of the Senshi meet her shortly on their training grounds for what would inevitably turn out to be a strenuous workout. So with little time to spare, Mercury, dressed in a lose fitting sky blue gown, sprinted out until she came upon her pond where she found someone already occupying her normal spot. Flowers grew in scattered spots around the serene pond, while at the north end sat two large boulders that balanced partially in the water and on the shore line. Zoicite was perched on one of the boulders with his feet resting on the other stone. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the exposed skin on his back. On the ground near him rested his jacket and cape in a sloppy heap.

"May I ask you something?" Mercury spoke up softly as she approached Zoicite.

He looked up to her from where he sat by the water's edge polishing his sword. His eyes softened when he saw her and gestured for her to sit next to him on the large boulder. "Please, ask me anything. I have no secrets from you," his eyes crinkled as he smiled teasingly at her.

She cast her eyes away towards the water as her cheeks tinged with pink. More often than not he would make passing comments intended to flatter her, though he normally ended up making her blush, a fact that did not go unnoticed by him. "I don't mean to interrupt you if you're busy," she smoothed her dress as she very delicately sat herself on the other side of the boulder.

He admired the way her motions appeared smooth and fluid like the water that was her element. It wasn't often that they would have time alone, but he savored the few times that they did. "Kunzite was kind enough to give us Shitennou some personal time this afternoon while Endymion was busy in meetings with Queen Selenity."

"And so this is how you choose to spend it? Out here alone?"

"I'm not alone, I'm with you."

"But you weren't before."

"That's because I was waiting for you."

"What if I never found you out here?"

"But you did and that's all that matters." He resumed polishing his sword, looking intently at the shining surface encased by its sharp edges. She had never really observed him using his sword as anything other than an ornament on his belt. The few times she had seen him fighting against the other Shitennou it seemed as though he had an endless supply of daggers tucked within the folds of his uniform. It amused her to see his playful side emerge during these staged battles. He didn't fight like the other Shitennou, his form was more relaxed, though no less deadly. Jadeite was a dangerous force to reckon with watching him weld his two blades with amazing speed and accuracy. Nephrite battled with a single sword, but more often than not he would end his fights in hand to hand combat, using his physical strength to take out his opponents. What she found odd though was how she had never actually seen Kunzite do more than instruct the other Shitennou. Once she asked Zoicite why that was and he simply shook his head in response. She had heard that he was an impressive fighter and that no one had ever had the opportunity to claim victory over him. Minako said that she had seen him weld his sword once, and that even she had been impressed – which is a feat in of itself considering that despite their best efforts their skills were never up to her standards which resulted in endless hours of additional training. In a way she envied Zoicite that his leader was not as stringent as hers.

She continued to sit motionless next to him, watching his skilled hands move over the intricate details engraved on the blade, which brought her back to her current train of thought. Her eyes looked back over to where he sat next to her with his shirt off, his hair falling lightly over his shoulder and partially obstructing her view of the darkened skin underneath. "So may I ask you something?" she repeated.

"Anything."

"Why a dragon?"

"A dragon?" He looked up to her light blue eyes.

"The one drawn on your back," her eyes darted over to his shoulder where small details of the tattoo were visible.

"It's something from a lifetime ago."

Ami frowned slightly. "I don't understand."

"Before I became what I am now, I was someone else. I was a no one from a small village constantly raided by pillagers. When I discovered my fate I wanted to resist – I was afraid of what would happen to me. Kunzite was the first of the Shitennou that I met, and even on a good day he can be quite intimidating. I decided that I wanted something to remember myself by, something to remind me of the strength of my village."

Her hand reached out shakily and she brushed his hair aside to look at the intricate design set into his skin. A magnificent serpentine dragon sat perched on a rock with its tail coiled around itself. The design itself wasn't meant to be intimidating, but beautiful in its magnificence just like him. She brushed her fingers against his skin, studying the design and committing it to memory. His hand slowly moved up to encompass hers and she blushed at the contact. "I'm sorry to be so forward. This is the first time that I've seen you like this."

"It's ok," he smiled comfortingly at her.

"I should be going," she pulled her hand back from him. "Venus did not give us the day off like Kunzite did for you. But when I saw you sitting here I had to stop. Excuse me," she rose from the boulder but remained in place by his soft gaze.

"Tonight is my turn to shadow Endymion."

Ami smiled softly. "Tonight should have been Jupiter's turn, but she asked me to trade with her. Perhaps we can talk more then."

"Until tonight then," he smiled before turning back to the sword in his hand, resuming his smooth stroking motion across the blade.


	14. Potential

"Do you understand what you are to become, Zoicite?" Kunzite asked the young boy in front of him.

"I do, Kunzite, sir," Zoicite replied shakily.

"Then do you also understand that fear is not an option amongst the Shitennou?" his voice was firm and showed no sign of sympathy for the younger man who refused to hold eye contact for longer than a scant few seconds.

This was one of the first times that Zoicite could remember Kunzite speaking to him instead of speaking about him as if he were not in the room. He was 15 when he was chosen to ascend to the rank of Shitennou – a choice that he was not given, one that was decided for him by birth. It would take two years of training before he was allowed to hold his title and until then he was to become the charge of the silver haired man standing before him. Zoicite often wondered at the time if it was luck or misfortune that cast Kunzite as his guardian for the duration of his training. He was the youngest of the four and judging by Kunzite's disinterest in him, he would also be treated as the child of the group. If he wanted to change that he would have to earn the respect of the lead Shitennou which would be no easy task – especially when he could hardly hold eye contact with the tall man who reeked of confidence and intimidation. Zoicite even feared that the other Shitennou might be just as fearful when they were all finally allowed to meet. Until then, Kunzite had been sent to Zoicite's village to handle his training and education, something that most in his small village were not privy to.

Of course no one else felt the same discomfort for Kunzite as did Zoicite. They welcomed the man with open arms and showered him with adoration at every opportunity. The one silver lining to his presence was that his village now had the protection that it so desperately needed from the pillagers who would spread through his home town while everyone was asleep, damaging property and stealing from the already poor. None of these invaders wanted to incur the wrath of the Prince or his head guardian and so kept their distance. Unfortunately for Zoicite, he feared that bringing upon this man's wrath was the only thing he was capable of. He had never been a fighter and so did not know how to stand up to this intimidation. Despite his attempts of courage, one look from this man was enough to make him want to cower in fear, although outwardly he made every attempt not to show it. Somehow though he sensed that Kunzite could see through it and in the end Zoicite would have no choice but cast his eyes away, ashamed at having disappointed someone of such importance.

"I know it is not an option," Zoicite bowed his head in defeat. "It is my sworn duty to protect the Prince even at the expense of my life."

"How will you do that when you do not watch your enemy before you?"

"But you are not my enemy….."

"I will do worse to you than any rogue on the battlefield can imagine."

"I will become stronger from your training, Kunzite."

"How do I train someone so insignificant?" Kunzite looked him over briefly and then turned his back on the boy, walking over to the nearby table to pick up his drink.

"I am not insignificant."

Kunzite put down his cup and walked over to the boy, towering over him. "You are afraid which makes you weak. Even worse you are little more than a child. How can I trust someone like you with the life of our Prince? Our Prince whom I should be protecting instead of standing here while you cower in fear!" Kunzite roared.

Zoicite's body tensed, nervous over the taller man's outburst. He was right by all accounts, how could a nobody like him be expected to ascend to something so important? If he had any common sense he would take the coward's way out and run to escape his fate. But he didn't, he had too much honor to do something of such grand cowardice. Despite his discomfort he stood rooted to his spot and answered the barrage of questions being thrown at him, each one designed to break him down until he either learned to not fear his future leader or admitted defeat. Zoicite was younger and more inexperienced and smaller, but he was proud and he wanted to show that he could be more than whatever this man's expectations for him were. Maybe that was part of his tactics, to ask him questions to throw him off guard and to break him. Could it be that this man did not have nearly as much disdain for him as he appeared to? Zoicite watched Kunzite's stance and took in the details of his appearance. Despite the fact that he was frowning and his voice was raised, his hands were relaxed. Normally a person who was angry clenched their hands into tight fists to further give the allusion of their aggression.

"If you cannot speak than you will be dismissed," Kunzite growled after receiving no answer.

"Your actions betray your words."

"Do they?" Kunzite appeared as if he were on the verge of smiling much in the same way a wolf would look as it is about to devour its prey.

"Your hands are relaxed. When a person is angry they make a fist."

"Because of the appearance of my hands you are assured that I will not harm you?"

"Yes. Even now your stance is relaxed, your shoulders are squared exactly as they were when you first entered the room." Kunzite grinned and stepped away from Zoicite. "Did I give you the wrong answer?"

"That is the best answer I have heard yet."

Zoicite frowned in confusion. "I don't understand."

"When presented with a problem, each man will react differently. You used your intellect to assess the situation, unlike your brothers who both attempted to react with force. Nephrite's response was to strike out at me which showed his temper. Jadeite was calculating and thought that he would be able to unsheathe his sword before I could my own. But you, you are a thinker. I'm impressed."

"You are?"

"I will test your limits with each new task, and it is up to you to show me what your maximum potential is. Your training will not be easy by any standards, you will want to quit several times before we are through and I will never stop you from doing so."

"What happened to the other two Shitennou?" Zoicite asked, unsure if he wanted to know what types of punishments were handed out.

"They were dealt with, you needn't worry any further," Kunzite's face became serious again with his words. "You may go now; we will need to get an early start in the morning."

"Thank you for -."

"Don't thank me," Kunzite looked at him sharply. "I am not here for you. I am here because my Prince has ordered me to do so. Don't mistake any kindness on my part for friendship. Now go."

Zoicite recognized Kunzite's look as a dismissal and slowly backed out of the room. His town had been quick to provide lodgings for Kunzite on the outskirts of the town where he would be afforded privacy. Once Zoicite began his training he was sent to live in the large home so that his lessons would be kept from prying eyes. Despite his moment of confidence, he knew that there would be no winning with this man nor would he ever compare to him in stature. Kunzite was the type of warrior he could only imagine becoming, and even then his allusions would fall short.

As promised, Kunzite worked Zoicite physically and mentally. There were days where his body was so sore that he lacked the strength to lift his own sword, while other days he would spend in bed recuperating from near fatal injuries that were often a result of his own clumsiness. Fighting with a sword was not his forte but it didn't seem as though he were being given any other options. That however, didn't mean that he couldn't change strategies. Without talking to Kunzite and asking for his approval, to which he was normally denied even on the smallest of requests, he began to alter the uniform he had been given. It was nowhere near being as impressive as that of a Shitennou's uniform, but it was comfortable and most of all allowed for him to sew patches on the inside to hold a series of small daggers.

Their practice sessions using swords normally consisted of Kunzite instructing him on how to hold and move, never providing him with an actual sparring partner. What made matters even more so difficult was that Kunzite was left handed. So when Zoicite would practice maneuvers he would be forced to adjust for the difference in their stances. Once Zoicite had made the mistake of stating how it was unfair to be forced to fight at such a disadvantage only to be silenced by a look from Kunzite. So he quickly learned that debating fairness would get him nowhere. At night he continued to work diligently on his uniform, hoping that for once Kunzite would be impressed by his ingenuity. Several days later, he again found himself on the losing end of a maneuver where it was painfully clear the other man wasn't even trying and so quickly withdrew one of his hidden daggers, throwing it with amazing accuracy past Kunzite's side, leaving a tear in the blue and brown cape. It was at that moment he truly learned the meaning of fear. With hardly a glance to assess what damaged may have been done, Kunzite quickly disarmed him and knocked him to the ground unceremoniously. Kunzite's boot pressed against his chest and he could feel the tip of the sword pressing into the flesh of his neck. For several moments the two men stared at each other, neither saying a word. Zoicite was in awe of the quick, fluid motions that were executed with deadly accuracy. Again he found himself longing to be what the man before him was, defeat slowly filling his mind of how he would never come close. Kunzite withdrew his sword and his hold over the boy, extending his hand to help him back up to his feet. They continued to train as if nothing had happened, although Zoicite could feel Kunzite's eyes evaluating him and perhaps even picking out where he had tucked away the other daggers. As the sun fell lower in the sky, Kunzite finally allowed him to stop for the day, insisting that he get a decent night's sleep for the long day he would have tomorrow. Slowly Zoicite started to head back in doors, but not before turning to cast one last look at Kunzite who now welded his own sword, sparring lightly against an imaginary opponent and moving with a grace that no ordinary man could possess. As Zoicite observed the other man's movements he noticed a slight coppery coloring on the side of Kunzite's white tunic and realized that the dagger must have come closer than he intended. This only lead to more adoration as he admired the way Kunzite had taken no notice to an injury that normally would have forced Zoicite to break so that he could bandage himself. It was at that moment that he realized the full scope of what he was to become - an awe-inspiring demigod who would bow to no one and nothing, not even death himself.


	15. Trials

Zoicite awoke in the morning and found himself alone in his and Kunzite's shared lodgings. At first he feared that he had finally disappointed Kunzite to the point that he had given up on him when he started to hear voices coming from the front of the house. He quietly approached the door and could hear the sounds of men's voices traveling through the wooden frame, but seemed to be unable to make out their words through the barrier. Their voices were hushed almost as if they were expecting him, which Zoicite quickly surmised they must have been. But who would be here? Kunzite had been insistent on no one disturbing them and for the past 6 months that they had been there not a single person had dared to not comply. Zoicite took a deep breath and squared his shoulders as he had often seen Kunzite do. With his head held high he opened the door to find three men standing in front of him, all dressed in the uniform of the Shitennou. It took all his will power to keep his jaw from falling open at the sight of them. The man with the dark hair appeared to be several years older than him though still younger than Kunzite, while the blonde couldn't have been more than a couple years older despite the age that showed in his eyes. Was this what people meant when they talked about people having old souls? Could that be the name for the haunting look in the young man's eyes? He never had the chance to surmise an answer as Kunzite was quick to end their conversation. With a knowing glance he looked to the other two men and then left, mounting his horse and riding away without a word. Despite what he had endured for the past 6 months under Kunzite's watchful eye, he felt saddened as though he were suddenly being abandoned by the one person that he had come to idolize.

"So you're him?" the tall man with chestnut hair asked with his arms crossed tightly in front of his chest.

"Him?" Zoicite answered weakly, trying to commit the details of this man to memory.

"The fourth Shitennou," the blonde cut in.

"Yes, I am. My name is Zoicite."

"I am Nephrite," the first man identified himself. He looked over to the blonde who was too busy inspecting the new comer to bother introducing himself. "And this is Jadeite."

"Where did Kunzite go?" Zoicite asked.

"He left you to us."

"Will he be returning?"

"Not by choice I'm sure," Jadeite drawled, now looking around bored.

"That was maybe a little harsh don't you think?" Nephrite asked.

"I'm certainly not here by choice," he looked over Zoicite's smaller frame before turning back to Nephrite. "So which one of us will go first?" Both men stared at each other for a moment before each extending a fist. They made some gesture to each other, and Jadeite smiled as he walked away apparently victorious. Nephrite turned to Zoicite with his frown back in place. "Then it's you against me. Let's go."

For the remainder of the afternoon Zoicite sparred off against Nephrite, who like him, disliked fighting with a sword. Zoicite was relieved to finally learn something new as Nephrite taught him to battle in hand to hand combat - that was until he found himself on the receiving end one too many blows. Nephrite did not hold back initially as Kunzite did, he instead fought hard and expected Zoicite to learn how to better protect himself with each mistake. By midday he was growing frustrated by Nephrite's tactics and the taste of blood that lingered in his mouth. It was almost as if he were having fun at Zoicite's expense. An interesting group these people were turning out to be. Finally, they were done and stopped for lunch. Jadeite was nowhere to be found but Nephrite insisted that they not wait for him. Their conversation quickly turned from mundane chatter to more divine matters. Zoicite was intrigued how this man quickly turned from arrogant indifference to someone of such consequence. Maybe beyond Jadeite's ultimate dislike for him stood a man full of compassion. He stared to feel optimistic about the remainder of the day until it was time for him to train against Jadeite – then he realized there was very little beyond his upfront hatred.

Jadeite, much like Kunzite, preferred to fight with his sword. Although Zoicite was to later learn that his strength on the battlefield was with his ability to wield two swords at once. Surprisingly Zoicite realized that he was able to hold his own against Jadeite's constant assault. After practicing against a left-handed fighter he found that a right-handed partner posed less of a challenge, although Jadeite was still a force to be reckoned with. His style of fighting verses Kunzite's was so different and it energized Zoicite sparring with him.

"Why do you hold back?" Zoicite asked, sincere in his question.

"Because you're not really ready to fight me," Jadeite replied, never breaking in his motions.

"Nephrite didn't hold back. I think I have the bruises to prove it."

"That's his style, not mine. When you're a worthy of a good fight I will give you one. It was not in Kunzite's orders to kill you today."

"Do you really hate me?"

"We are going to be brothers in arms, that is all that matters."

"Is this how it is meant to be between the four of us?"

Jadeite laughed at his comment. "Says the teachers pet."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Zoicite could feel his cheeks flush with anger.

"Defeat me and I'll talk." Jadeite picked up the intensity of his attack trying to hold Zoicite off balance. Zoicite readjusted his footing trying to brace himself against the strengthened attacks while preparing a defense of his own. Different possibilities passed through his mind of tactics taught to him by Kunzite, yet he couldn't decide on the one that would best help him. Instead he continued to hold his defensive stance watching Jadeite's series of movements, looking for the opening that he needed. "I thought you said that you were going to be a challenge? It looks like they may have found the wrong person for the job. You are a defenseless child hardly worth the recognition of being trained to be a Shitennou," Jadeite taunted him.

"You look to be hardly older than me!" Zoicite responded.

"Looks can be deceiving."

Zoicite decided that he would need to make his move, win or lose he couldn't stand there and stay on the defense for much longer. Not against someone at an obviously higher skill level than him. He shifted his sword to his left hand, which was significantly weaker, but it allowed him to free up his right hand. With barely a noticeable twitch, he shook one of the blades tucked in his sleeve lose so that he could prepare to use it.

This motion, despite how slight, did not go unnoticed by Jadeite. He copied Zoicite's action, switching his blade to his left hand to counter the series of movements. Zoicite quickly learned that Jadeite's left was almost as good as Kunzite's. As he prepared to move forward with his right arm, Jadeite quickly switched his sword back to his right, and with his left unsheathed the sword hanging on his right side. The movement was so quick that Zoicite barely had time to react before the edge of the new blade came down towards his right arm. The edge sliced through the sleeve of his uniform and drew a thin straight line of blood. Jadeite finished his attack by bringing his other blade to rest at Zoicite's neck while Zoicite held the small blade from his sleeve, aimed at Jadeite's heart. Both stood staring at each other, not willing to move or admit defeat. Finally Jadeite broke the silence. "Does Kunzite allow you to fight in this style?"

"Not really," Zoicite answered.

Jadeite grinned. "Good, now you're learning."

"Learning? To disobey Kunzite?"

"Nephrite and I try not to make his job any easier than need be." He sheathed the sword in his left hand and started walking across the field, back towards the house looming in the distance.

Zoicite slowly followed after him, watching as he sheathed his other sword before he did the same. "Does Kunzite believe I'm a total failure?"

"Did he use those words?"

"Not that I recall…." Zoicite answered.

"You have to understand that Kunzite is different from the rest of us and always will be. He doesn't always say what he wants to, it's like there is some sort of language barrier between him and the rest of the world. Save for Prince Endymion who understands him quite fluently."

"What is the Prince like? Kunzite doesn't speak much of him, but when he does it's with much reverence."

"He is a good man and a good friend."

"I will do my best to protect him."

"We all do." Jadeite stopped walking and turned to face him. "I wasn't much older than you when I started my training, but my previous experiences made it easier for me to adapt. This won't be easy and no one will be here to help you either. The best advice any of us can give you is to learn who you are and use your strengths to your advantage. Kunzite will teach you more than anyone else would ever be able to."

"May I ask you something?" he asked, chewing on his lower lip. Jadeite looked to him, waiting for him to continue. "Kunzite said that once you tried to draw your sword on him. What happened?"

Jadeite frowned and watched as the expressions on Zoicite's face changed from curiosity to being almost apologetic. "I did, once, and that was enough."

"What did he do to you?"

"He cut off my toes and keeps them in a jar." And like that, Jadeite turned and walked away from Zoicite leaving him to contemplate his words.

Suddenly Zoicite had a new fear instilled in him of this man who would be charged with his training. Is that the price he would pay for his mistakes? He watched Jadeite walking away and noticed the obvious bounce in his step and realized that he had been had.


	16. Revelations

Rei and Jadeite walked down the white marble hallway briskly – or rather Jadeite pursued Rei down the hall as she kept her quick pace ahead of him. She was draped in a silky red gown that swirled around her with each step. He wore his Shitennou uniform, his cape flapping behind him. It had taken him the better part of the day to find her again after enduring one of Kunzite's lectures, only to find himself the subject of another one coming from the raven haired beauty he currently pursued.

"I don't understand why you're acting like this. It was just a kiss on the cheek," he protested.

"You know the rules, Jadeite," she replied firmly not bothering to look back to him. "There is to be no fraternizing between the Prince's Shitennou and the Princess's Senshi."

"That's not what Kunzite said. He said we need to work together and pairing off wouldn't be a bad idea until we learned our way around."

"Don't patronize me. You know your way around just fine by now, this is hardly your first visit. I can't imagine Endymion would want someone protecting him who gets lost when he turns a corner."

"Perhaps I still find certain aspects to be confusing in their nature. I'm only obeying orders."

"I have no interest in what your Kunzite has to say. I don't answer to him."

"Then why are you running away from me?" He reached out and grabbed her arm bringing her to a halt in front of him.

Her eyes narrowed as she stared at his offending hand. "I don't want another encounter like our last." They had reached the end of the hall and now stood in the doorway leading out to the Palace gardens. The Earth shone brightly above the moon's horizon casting the landscape in a warm glow. Her eyes drifted over to see the Royal couple approaching them with Mercury and Zoicite in tow several feet back, allowing the Prince and Princess some privacy. They seemed to have a pleasant banter going on between them, but Rei couldn't help but to notice the looks Zoicite slipped her when she wasn't looking. 'Has the whole moon gone mad?' she wondered to herself. As Serenity and Endymion neared she curtseyed and Jadeite nodded his head in a modest bow.

"Rei, Jadeite – were you both going for a stroll around the garden?" Serenity asked smiling.

"No, we were –" Rei started to reply.

"We were just walking through the Palace and Rei was giving me a tour. But since we're out here we would love to join you." He held out his arm and smiled charmingly at Rei, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief. With mild annoyance she took his arm and they walked alongside the Prince and Princess. Rei could hear Mercury and Zoicite whispering to each other and without even hearing their words she knew that she was the subject of their discussion. At least someone was getting some enjoyment out of this situation.

"So how was the tour Jadeite?" Serenity asked. "I'm almost surprised that you don't have the layout memorized by now."

"Rei has been a wonderful source of information during my stay. I'm not sure what I could do to thank her for her hospitality," he smiled broadly at Rei.

"I am simply doing my duty," Rei replied off-handedly. "Where are Makoto and Nephrite?"

"Sparring again I suppose," Serenity answered thoughtfully. Endymion seemed to smile with his own secret. Rei's ears twitched from the sound of Mercury and Zoicite's continued whispers. Whatever secrets she was holding out on Rei would be sure to extract from her later.

"And what of Minako and Kunzite?" Jadeite asked.

"I don't know….."Serenity's face scrunched up as she tried to remember her last encounter with either of them.

"I'm sure they both have security matters to deal with during our stay," Endymion replied for her.

"Just forget about your earring, Minako," Kunzite hissed looking around to make sure they were still alone among the labyrinth of hedges. As they were walking through the gardens she suddenly cried out that her earring had fallen out leaving her unable to do more than to watch it bounce helplessly into some bushes which brought them to their current predicament. She was crawling through said bushes in her gown with her backside sticking out in the air. He had offered to help her look but his build was much too wide to crawl through the underbrush and she refused to let him cut back the hedge with his sword.

"No, these are my favorite earrings," she protested, her voice visibly upset as it carried from the undergrowth.

"I'll bring you a new pair the next time I'm here. I promise," he tried to reassure her.

"What does it say for my feelings if I can't take care of the first pair you gave me? Now either help me or stop protesting." Silence ensued for several minutes and he continued to look around nervously. "I found it!" she cried slowly crawling backwards. "Uh-oh," she mumbled coming to a stop.

"Uh-oh?" he replied calmly kneeling down by her.

"My dress is stuck and I can't get out of here." He chuckled lightly in response. "Don't laugh at me, this is embarrassing."

"I warned you against crawling around down there."

"What am I supposed to do now?" she asked, her voice sounding visibly upset.

"You can take off the dress and we can try and pull it free once you're out," he suggested.

"Are you making a pass at me?" she flirted with him.

"I'm trying to help you out of your current predicament," he sighed as she giggled. "I could rip the dress and get you unstuck."

"And walk back to my room with a large tear down the backside of my gown? Do you know how that will cause people to talk?"

"I will give you my cape to cover yourself."

"That would be worse yet," she groaned.

"How could that possibly be worse?" he asked exasperated.

"Because then people would assume that we had been off together."

"We are off together."

"Not like that," she mumbled.

"Oh," came his curt reply as the meaning of her words sank in. "Then what would you suggest we do?"

"I'll take the dress off," she mumbled almost incoherently.

"I'll give you some privacy," he started to stand but her hand flailed out reaching for him.

"I need your help."

"I just want to make sure I understand this first. It's ok for us to in fact be alone together but it's not ok for people to think we were alone together when we weren't."

"The longer you talk the more likely we are to get caught. Now make sure the dress doesn't tear as I slip out of it." There was some rustling in the bushes as she climbed out of the dress. "Here we go…."

"I'll keep my eyes closed."

"Well that's no fun," she teased.

"You are something else Minako," he shook his head and pulled off his cape draping it over her back. She slowly pulled herself free of the dress and grasped his cape against her, blocking her nude form from view. He deftly moved at pulling her dress free and handed it to her. Her hand carefully reached out to take the material from him and he diverted his eyes as she pulled the silky fabric over her head.

"I'm dressed now," she said. He looked back to her as her dress still hung loosely over her shoulders. They were still kneeling on the ground and he found her to breathtakingly beautiful the way her eyes were bright with excitement and her cheeks were flushed. "Weren't you even just a bit curious?" she asked him.

"I wouldn't have been a gentleman if I looked," he smiled at her.

"That's true. Then you would be just like all of my other admirers," she smiled teasingly in return. "Can you help me with the back of my dress?" she handed him back his cape and he started to refasten it on his shoulders. "There are two small hooks that I can't quite reach."

She stood up and turned her back to him, lifting her hair over her shoulder to expose her back. Two small golden chains hung from the one side of her dress and he could make out the shape of the hooks to fasten them onto the other side. The material hung loosely over her back leaving the better part of her exposed save for the small of her back where the dress was bunched together causing folds to form over the backside of the gown. With bated breath he stood up, towering over her petite form and he could feel her inhale as his fingers brushed skillfully against her skin. He paused after securing the first chain and leaned over to kiss her softly on her neck. She giggled as his breath tickled her skin and he finished clasping the final hook. "Perfect," he said softly, the admiration evident in his eyes. She turned her head to look at him as his fingers lingered on her back and she gasped, her eyes growing wide with alarm.

"I hope we're not interrupting anything," Serenity giggled.

Minako immediately turned red and Kunzite stepped back from her. "It's not what it looks like," Minako quickly replied. "I dropped my earring and I had to crawl around in the underbrush here to find it."

"It looks like you have both earrings on to me," Rei drawled sharply.

"I do!" Minako exclaimed reaching up to feel both earrings. "I found it, but then my dress got stuck and I didn't want to tear it….and I'm not making this sound any better…." She looked around at the faces of her Senshi and Endymion's Shitennou. "I have to go," she stammered. "I'm sure there's something that the Queen needs me to do….." With one last glance back to Kunzite she dashed off across the gardens heading back towards the Palace.

"Minako!" Serenity called after her. When the other girl didn't respond she pulled up her skirts and chased after her.

"That's it!" Jadeite declared. "If he doesn't have to be discreet" he pointed sharply at Kunzite "then I don't have to be discreet!" He grabbed Rei and pulled her against him, pressing his lips firmly against her own. With a sharp shove she pushed him away and stepped back slapping him sharply across his face. Putting on her most dignified expression she turned and walked away following after Serenity.

"Always the charmer," Zoicite laughed. Mercury at least had the decency to place her hand over her mouth to shield her smile from the others. This had certainly turned out to be an interesting patrol after all. Makoto would be mad that she asked her to trade.


	17. Reprieve

"I'm not apologizing," Jadeite crossed his arms stubbornly as he sat in an opposing chair across from the Martian Princess.

"I wouldn't expect you to," she countered.

"Then why have you asked for this private meeting?" His hand gestured widely as if trying to show the importance of being asked to her room. Despite the light shining through the windows, the room still had a dark appearances – this was mostly accentuated by the dark maroon colors that decorated her bed and even covered the seats they were currently occupying. Under normal circumstances the room would have a very alluring appearance, but Jadeite's frustration blocked out any other thoughts than those immediately at hand.

"Because you are leaving soon."

"I thought there were rules against you Senshi having male visitors in your bedrooms."

Rei hesitated before answering. "Not completely. The Moon Princess may not have anyone in her rooms save for her Guardians. Us Senshi on the other hand are permitted to do as we choose as long as we are not….flagrant in our actions."

"And what about the ban on us?" he gestured to the both of them with his free hand.

"I still don't care about what your Kunzite has to say. I don't answer to him."

"What do you want from me, Rei?" he asked standing from his seat. "You hold me at a distance but when I am ready to give up you pull me back in."

"It's not that simple, Jadeite."

"That's not my name really."

"It's not?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

"No. Much like the Senshi these are our official names."

"Am I the only one to not know about this?"

"You are the only one to know about this. None of the others have shared this with the other Senshi."

"Then why are you telling me this now?"

"Because I want to be with you, Rei." He walked over and kneeled in front of her, holding both of her hands in his. "From the moment I met you I've had these feelings, but I'm not sure if I should pursue them any further. It's up to you, Rei, what should I do?" His blue eyes had softened, yet still held a sense of urgency and intensity as he watched her.

"I'm not ready to let you go, but I can't accept us. I made a promise that my Princess would be the only one in my heart."

"It seems like that promise has already been broken." He leaned forward and gently kissed her. "We're not doing anything wrong despite your sense of duty."

She looked at him with her dark eyes and mentally fought with herself over her next action. How could she let him go? Although how could she break her promise to her Princess? The reasons in her head battled back and forth and she finally decided to silence the voices by leaning forward to capture his face in her hands and kiss him passionately. He pulled her towards him, sweeping her to her feet and then deftly back off of them and into his arms. She ignored the voice of reason in her head, burying any lingering sense of doubt that still haunted her into the farthest depths of her mind, and wrapped her arms around his neck, not allowing either of them to break the kiss. He carried her over to her bed and gently laid her down, resting himself on top of her. "Jadeite…." Her voice trailed off.

"No, don't call me that. Not while we're here, not when we're like this." He whispered into her ear and her eyes widened.

"That's your name?" she asked breathily.

He nodded his head in the affirmative and captured her lips in another searing kiss, allowing his fingers to become entangled in the dark strands of her hair.


	18. Fun and Games

In an effort to support the future alliance between the Earth and the Moon, the royal family of Venus invited all of the dignitaries from surrounding kingdoms with the visitors of Earth being their special guests. Endymion and his Shitennou arrived on Venus, to stay in the beautiful floating Magellan Castle. The visitors from Earth were amazed as they took in the sights around them. As the color schema of the moon was silver and white, the Venusian Castle appeared to be outfitted in varying shades of gold and lined with brilliant reds. They were given a tour of the Castle upon their arrival and they found the interior to be as breathtaking as its exterior. As they strolled down the halls Venus and Kunzite lagged behind, at which point she teasingly asked him if he planned on sharing her room with her. His only response was to raise one eyebrow at her before turning his attention back to the ambassador giving the tour who was currently in the process of telling an embellished story about an ancient Venusian artifact.

Once they had completed the tour, they were all given the opportunity to return to their rooms to prep for the party being thrown in honor of the alliance. Endymion squashed any grumbling from his Shitennou by explaining that parties on Venus were less formal than those on the moon. Jadeite's attention had already been lost to his Prince as he started mumbling something about the Martian Princess and the supposed planet of Love. Zoicite on the other hand was rambling on over the similarities between the Palaces of the Moon and Venus. The layouts were virtually identical save for the coloring and a few differences in the landscaping. Nephrite immediately headed out to the balcony, eager to view the stars from such a high vantage point in the sky. Kunzite on the other hand stayed by Endymion's side to discuss the nights events, yet Endymion couldn't help but to notice he seemed somehow distracted and had been since they departed Earth. He debated on whether it was the travel that wore away at him or the Venusian Princess who seemed to have taken a liking to him as of late despite the animosity of their first meeting.

All too soon dinnertime came and went and Endymion and his Shitennou entered the ballroom. While the room was no less opulent than the Moon Palace, there was an air of casualty to it that made them feel more so at ease. The night continued to wear on as did the sprightliness of a certain Princess which brought Venus to her current situation.

"Princess," Venus whispered. The blonde reached for her Princess's hand and gently pulled her away from Endymion.

Serenity's eyes fluttered open to look at Venus's smiling face then drowsily up to Endymion's to see his doting expression. She snuggled even deeper into his arms, not realizing that she was still outside on the bench. "Maybe later Venus. I don't want to sit through another one of Mercury's classes." She yawned loudly. "I'm too tired."

"Too drunk is more like it Princess," Venus laughed. A slight giggle erupted from Serenity's lips before her breathing started to even out again. "Endymion, your help please," she looked up at him pleadingly.

"I'll bring her to her guest room," he said softly, careful not to wake the sleeping Princess.

"No, the Queen would be furious if I allowed you to carry her to her bed," Venus jumped at his words. "If I pinch her nose she'll wake up. She always hates when I do that." She reached her free hand out towards the Princess's face but was stopped by Endymion's hand.

"She looks so peaceful; I don't want to wake her."

Kunzite quietly approached the trio and stood by Venus looking over her shoulder. "Do you not trust my Prince?"

Venus quickly turned her head to look at him and dropped Serenity's hand in the process. "That's not what I meant," she blushed lightly at the proximity of the man behind her. "If anyone were to see him I can't even begin to imagine the talk that would ensue."

"Perhaps one of your Senshi could escort him. That should satiate the curiosity of any stray party-goers don't you think?" His voice remained low and even and she felt mesmerized by its tone.

"I suppose Mars….," she started to reply but redirected her thoughts at a slight shake of his head, "….Mercury could go with him." He gave her the slightest of smiles and she started to return his sediment but caught herself and looked at Endymion with a frown. "You have to hurry though, no lingering."

Endymion grasped Serenity tightly in his arms and stood from the stone bench. "I'm not sure which one of you is worse," he briefly looked from Kunzite to Venus before walking off. Mercury stood near the entrance and Endymion could have sworn that for a moment he saw Zoicite whispering in her ear but quickly dismissed it as a trick of the eye. Perhaps he had more to drink than he realized as well. Alternately he wondered how Venus was able to alert Mercury without speaking to her or contacting her via some device. Serenity claimed that she never understood the ability of her Guardian's either but he couldn't help but to wonder if perhaps she was keeping that secret to herself.

Venus watched them depart and once they were gone she turned back to Kunzite, her eyes looking up to meet his. They stood in an open hallway made of golden stone and marble that led from the ballroom to another portion of the Palace. Several plants were strategically placed along the large arch shaped openings along both walls. Light spilled out brightly from the ball in front of them casting long shadows down the dark corridor behind them. "I'm sure you're worse."

"I have given my men the night off taking full responsibility for the Prince myself. You have all of your Senshi on full patrol. It seems that you may be the stricter one of us two."

"Perhaps," she replied. "No Mars?"

"I'm pretty sure she and Jadeite have gone off to….talk."

"Ah. I see. Well then, I suppose that you can't say that all of my Senshi are on full patrol. Watching your Shitennou can be more like babysitting."

"I thought we agreed not to discuss that issue with Nephrite, especially since it involved one of your own as well."

"Hmm," she replied. "I suppose we did agree to forget about that for the sake of the Alliance."

"Only for that?" he teased her, reaching for her hand.

She smiled sheepishly. "I'm going to have to thank Serenity later."

"And why's that?" Kunzite mused.

"A girl should have some secrets no?" She pulled her hand free and turned to walk further into the shadows of the hall. Kunzite looked over his shoulder to make sure they were still alone before turning to follow her. As he rounded the dark corner where he had seen her turn, he found himself alone and looked around trying to decipher where she would have disappeared to. He was on her turf tonight and she would most certainly take pleasure in letting him know that. As he turned another corner a hand reached out and grabbed him pulling him into a room dimly lit by the grounds lighting shining through the windows. He pushed the door closed and spun Venus around holding her against the wall. "This is exactly what I planned to do to you," she pouted.

"Then tell me your secret and I'll see what I can do to accommodate you."

"And what's in it for me?" she asked.

"Depends what you're asking for."

"I may have encouraged Serenity to have a drink or two," Venus smiled mischievously.

"And how did you do that?" he smiled acknowledging that she obviously had some ulterior motive yet to reveal.

"I challenged her to a drinking contest."

"Should I bother to guess who won?" he teased her.

"As long as I'm still standing I think it might be me," she pointed at herself with her thumb, yet somehow managed to be slightly off and ended up pointing at the wall. Kunzite raised one eyebrow at her and she laughed harder.

"And what was the point of this game?"

"To buy us a few minutes together. It seems that I've found a way to get us off duty. Our Prince and Princess are safely tucked away."

"You could have just asked me for a dance; it would have been an easier option."

"But not nearly as fun," she giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck and lightly placing a kiss on his lips.

"This is a different side of you."

"For once I thought we would be the ones to enjoy ourselves instead of pretending to barely know each other and standing on opposite sides of the room."

"It doesn't have to be this way." His face softened in response.

"For the next 5 minutes, it can be anyway we want."

He picked her up and carried her over to the nearby couch, seating himself and pulling her onto his lap. They sat there for a few minutes with their arms wrapped around each other until he noticed that her grip was starting to slacken and her breathing came out deeper and more even. He tilted his head back and to the side to notice that her eyes had drifted closed and he couldn't help but to smile at the irony of the situation.


	19. Moonlit Surprises

Mars and Jadeite had slipped from the Venetian ballroom to stroll the inner Palace gardens reserved for the Royal family of Venus and its visiting dignitaries. They were not completely alone as they traversed the endless aisles but they had managed to find a dark corner where they could be unaccompanied for at least a few minutes. Mars explained to Jadeite the story behind the gardens, which much to his displeasure did not include alcoves of hidden love dens as many claimed to be a prominent feature on the planet. She quickly dispelled all of the rumors surrounding the Planet of Love but somehow managed to not dissuade him from making his own allusions as to what they could be doing while out here on their own. And so they found themselves tucked away in an embrace, lips locked in a kiss, their bodies slightly illuminated by the artificial lighting blended into the flora around them.

"Jadeite," Mars exhaled between kisses.

"Rei," he answered breathily, pressing his forehead against her's.

"We should probably get back," she managed to squeeze the words in before he silenced her with another kiss.

"We have time," he murmured.

"Venus will notice I'm gone."

"Kunzite will handle it."

"How can you be so sure?"

"You saw what I saw in the garden that day, Rei," he chuckled, brushing her hair away from her face adoringly.

She laughed in return. "She still won't talk to me about what happened."

"And we shouldn't be talking now," he pressed his lips against hers, his arms wrapped possessively around her slim waist.

"Jadeite," she mumbled against his lips. "I have a present for you."

"There's only one thing I want from you right now." She could feel his lips smile against her own and even in the darkness could see his eyes filled with mischief.

"Give me your hand," she said. He moved his right hand from around her waist and shifted it up the length of her torso, then ran his fingers down her arm leaving a trail of goose bumps from the sensation, stopping when their fingers were intertwined. "You did that on purpose," she smiled at him.

"Maybe just a little." She extended her other hand to reveal a golden object in her palm. His eyebrows scrunched together trying to identify the object glinting in the darkness. "What is this?"

"I got it from Mercury. It's for the next time that you visit the Moon Palace and need to find your way around."

His hand encased hers, wrapping both their fingers around the object. "Maybe you should keep it so that I have an excuse to find you. Otherwise I think I would really be lost then." He leaned in to kiss her again.

"Then perhaps it will help you to find me after the ball is over."

"If you say it, I will believe it."

Mars laughed at his response. "Then I fear you will believe anything. After all, you believed the stories about what goes on in the gardens of Venus."

"Then we'll just have to make those stories true," he grinned while pushing them further into the shadows and out of sight.


	20. Knight in Shining Armor

The explosions sounded in the distance like bombs bursting. Shrieks could be heard with each blast echoing through the throngs of people, yet Venus stood by on the hill completely motionless save for the gentle breeze tugging at the edges of her orange fuku. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest and she stared at her opponent unwavering, refusing to back down.

"Now that I've finally found you my Princess," Kunzite's voice carried over to her, "I'd say it's time that we settled things once and for all."

"Yes, I'd say so," she replied extending her arm to point her finger at him. "I can't believe that you would betray me like this."

"Betray?" he laughed. "Perhaps that is a little extreme."

"There are no other words for it," her eyes narrowed.

"Are you willing to fight me for your beliefs?"

"A soldier's honor is something that must be protected at any cost much like their loyalties."

"I guess we're at a stalemate then. How shall we handle this?"

"With swords I would imagine," she answered fiercely.

Kunzite approached her and grabbed both of her hands in his. "Swords Minako?"

"I can't believe you told Endymion and Serenity."

"I didn't tell them everything." He smiled at her and she fought the urge to smile back. "They don't know why you did it. But I did have to explain my disappearance for most of the night. Besides, I thought it was endearing that you fell asleep despite your best intentions if it makes a difference," he pulled her hands towards him and placed her arms around his neck, then wrapped his own around her waist.

"You're mocking me," she pulled her arms back and placed her palms against his chest. "The chivalrous thing to do would have been to say that you had too much to drink. I thought you were supposed to be my knight in shining armor."

"Have you noticed my constant lack of armor?" She pursed her lips at his joke. "Now you're going to stay angry at me?" he asked her.

She pushed him away and turned back to face the crowds who were all too mesmerized by the fireworks overhead to notice the attractive couple standing off in the distance. "I will forgive you once we're even."

"And how long will that take?" he asked raising his eyebrows with the signs of a smile tugging at his lips.

"That all depends on you," she muttered.


	21. Mine's Bigger Than Yours

The Senshi and Shitennou were seated in a distorted circle scattered across the orchard. For the first time, Queen Selenity had allowed for the Princess to travel to Earth to stay at the Elysian Palace. Of course with this decree meant that the Senshi would have to accompany her to protect her from any potential threats that may lie in wait to her on the blue planet. All were present save for their leaders and lieges. Venus and Kunzite were meeting with Serenity and Endymion to discuss the itinerary of this trip and to cover all potential security issues. Despite the laid back appearance of this journey, part of the Queen's true intentions was to work on securing the alliance with the people of Earth.

Nephrite sat with his back to a tree, enjoying the cool shade that it provided on this hot summer day. Jupiter sat next to him, resting against the same tree with their shoulders touching. He absently played with the ends of her hair, although to any observer this gesture was intimate in its nature. From time to time she would glance over at him and smile, leaving the others to debate whether the couple preferred to stay and talk, or if they were opting to be somewhere else alone.

Nearby Jadeite stood leaning against a large tree with his arms crossed. His eyes seemed to be permanently fixed on the red clad Senshi who resided against a tree on the other side of the clearing in a similar pose. Mars would pretend to not notice his constant attentions, but every once in a while she would give herself away by meeting his eyes and smiling in return.

Zoicite and Mercury sat on the blanket that had been spread out with their picnic basket and were currently competing against each other by using the water in their glasses to create various ice sculptures. She would mold the water and freeze it to appear in the shape of her Princess, to which he would freeze his water into a beautiful rose.

All of the couples chatted amicably about various topics until they came upon one to which they determinably disagreed with each other.

"I don't understand how you could possibly think such a thing," Nephrite said to Mars. "Have you looked at the size difference between the two? There is no way that someone as small as Venus could be worse than Kunzite. He looks like a stone wall and acts as one too."

"Do you think that physical strength and size is the only indication of a leader?" Mars retorted.

"That's not what he meant, Rei," Jadeite jumped in. "He just meant that Kunzite physically works us harder because he himself can physically work so much harder."

"That's what Mars just said," Jupiter replied.

"You're equating physical strength to a leader's stamina," Mercury interjected, her concentration still on the ice shard being shaped in front of her. Zoicite turned his eyes to the object in her hand, and upon realizing that it was forming into something better than what he was working on decided to take the sore loser approach. He concentrated on the ice and with a mere thought he caused the ice in her hands to dissipate leaving her empty handed. She looked up at him with wide eyes as he proudly displayed the dove sculpted ice in his hand. In retaliation she reached over and touched the beak of the bird, causing the ice to turn to water, then laughing as the cold fluid spilled into his lap.

"It's not just the physical size that he's referring to though," Zoicite muttered as he blotted at the water being absorbed into his uniform. "He's also talking about their personalities. Have you seen Kunzite smile once in all this time?"

"Don't be deceived by Venus's smile," Jupiter countered. "The sweeter her smile the more malicious her intent."

"You really expect us to believe that she works you harder?" Nephrite tugged on her hair.

"How long do you train for?" she asked.

"At least four hours a day – three on Sunday's. He claims to have a soul buried beneath that cool exterior, although we're all still waiting to see it."

"That's nothing to complain about," Mars laughed. "If we only trained for four hours a day we would probably be in as bad of shape as you guys."

"I don't recall you saying that when you were -."

"Not necessary, Jadeite," she quickly interjected, to which he smiled that mischievous smile of his.

"Training with your powers is hardly the same as practicing with heavy weapons in the dead of the summer," Jadeite protested. "I won't even go into the issue of practicing with body armor on." Although his words didn't say what he was thinking, the glance of his eyes at the scantiness of her uniform said it all.

"Give her a break, Jadeite," Zoicite laughed. "I hardly heard you complaining the other day when you were discussing the finer vantage points of their fukus."

"And what was your opinion?" Mercury asked.

"How did this get turned back on me?" he asked wide eyed as all eyes were cast his way. "This isn't about how lovely these ladies look while they are giving us a thorough thrashing in the training arena," he said hoping to appease Mercury. "This is about who is worse – Kunzite, the obvious choice, or Venus."

"I would think that was a simple enough question to answer," Venus spoke up. Everyone looked her way to see a bemused Venus being flanked by a not so amused looking Kunzite. Serenity and Endymion stood nearby laughing silently. "It's me," she smiled sweetly.

"Are you going to accept that answer, Kunzite?" Nephrite looked to his leader.

"Once you find out what she has in store for you gentleman, I believe you'll be able to answer that question on your own," Kunzite grinned.


	22. Appearances

"Why do you insist on keeping yourself distant from me?" Minako asked softly. She stood closely to Kunzite as they hung back in the corner of the room. The rest of the party goers continued to dance and celebrate completely unaware of tensions building around them. Queen Selenity had thrown a costume ball in honor of Princess Serenity and her engagement to the Prince Endymion of Earth. She wanted to ease tensions between the two populations and hoped that this ball would be a welcome start. Kunzite opted not to participate in wearing a costume and instead wore his Shitennou uniform. Jadeite had protested against wearing a costume as well, but after a few choice words from Kunzite gave up the fight and wore his costume as requested (or reprimanded as the case may be). Venus did not want to go against her Queen's wishes and was dressed in a flowing white gown, her hair pulled into a familiar set of odangos. A white mask made of silk and covered with pearls and lace adorned her face accenting the brightness of her blue eyes. At first he had teased her for her lack of imagination (rifling through Serenity's closet was hardly a mark of creativity) but soon found amusement in the looks they received from party goers who at first glance wondered why their Princess was dancing with someone other than her betrothed – the scandal that was sure to ensue.

"There has been no distance between us all night," he protested.

"Don't patronize me. You have been wearing that smile for my benefit all night. I want to know why you won't let me get closer to you."

"And how much closer would you like me to be?" he pulled her hand to his mouth and gently brushed his lips across her knuckles.

"Is this all that I can have from you? Kisses in corners? Do you want nothing else from me?" she said sadly.

"We are not at peace yet," his eyes appeared distant as he looked over her head, pulling his eyes from hers for the first time.

"Our sovereigns are to wed, that will bring peace."

"I know that you are not so naïve, Minako."

"Naïve?" she repeated offended.

"You know that there are those of my planet who will never accept nor recognize this union. The people of Earth are distrustful of the Moon populace and there is no way to comfort them or ease their fears."

"So rather than promote this union you will surrender to their fears? Are you really such a coward?"

"Coward?" he didn't bother to hide his anger. "I have led men into battles that you could not fathom. I have fought for a peace that does not want to be. I have killed hundreds in order to protect my Prince. In all this time I have never turned away or asked for anything in return. Everything I do, every breath I take is to better my kingdom."

"A man faced with an adversary holding his sword may be brave, but a man forced to come face to face with the reality of his heart can still be a coward." She paused letting her words set in. "Despite your words and your kisses you refuse to allow yourself to be intimate with me. Are you afraid of what might happen if you let yourself go? Will it finally cause you to break? Maybe even show that you are human?"

"Princess, I cannot allow myself to choose between your love and the love of my kingdom."

"Do you think I have forsaken my kingdom?"

"You are a smart woman, Minako, I'm sure you understand the effects of your decisions," was his vague reply.

"If I cannot have all of you than I will have none of you," she pulled away from him and disappeared into the crowd. He knew his words hurt her and even more so he knew that he should follow her and apologize, but she was right – he was a coward. Her touch was enough to bring his walls crumbling down and with tensions running high he needed to remain strong. Tomorrow he would apologize to her before he departed from the moon. She would understand – they were both leaders of powerful forces – she had to understand. In the meantime he would continue to find amusement in the dirty looks he received from the party goers who watched him with anger in their eyes for offending their Princess. 'Minako didn't look **that** much like Serenity!' he thought to himself.


	23. Complications

After Venus had left him alone following their disagreement, Kunzite excused himself from the room, instead choosing to stand on the balcony in isolation trying to deal with his thoughts and growing feelings towards the Venusian Princess who somehow always seemed to be just out of his grasp. Across the room, Endymion who had been dancing with the real Moon Princess saw that some exchange had occurred between the two and followed his lead Shitennou out of the room. Kunzite didn't notice the arrival of his Prince, something that Endymion took immense notice of. He cleared his throat and moved to stand next to the other man, removing the small white mask that covered his eyes.

"I don't understand why the both of you pretend that there is nothing there."

"There is nothing there, my Prince. Neither of us will allow it."

"When did things become so complicated between the two of you?"

Kunzite smiled, "Things have always been complicated."

"Why don't you go to her?"

"It's for the best this way."

"Are you afraid to admit that you love her?"

"That's never been the issue. We made our choice and now we need to stand by it."

"You're an idiot." Kunzite shot his Prince a look that he normally reserved for disciplining his fellow Shitennou, however Endymion remained firm. "You've been with me for six years now, and in that time you have been my friend, mentor and instructor. I have learned a lot from you on and off the battlefield. Now, just this once, I want you to learn something from me. If you love her, and she loves you, than do something about it. Once she is gone you will be left with nothing but regret."

Kunzite looked back out over the horizon contemplating Endymion's words. When Endymion received no response he decided to leave the other man alone with his thoughts to think things over. As he turned to re-enter the room, Kunzite finally responded. "My Liege," he smiled to himself. "I have one last thing to teach you." He turned to face his Prince with a firm expression now set on his face. "Should you decide to call me an idiot again, rest assured I will make sure that our next training session is not an easy one."

Endymion smiled despite the warning tone of Kunzite's voice. "I would expect no less from you." He nodded his head and entered the ballroom, returning to his Princess.

Kunzite realized that he had a choice to make, and tomorrow he would resolve things with his own Princess.


	24. Decisions

Venus stood on the Senshi training grounds with her sword in hand. She seemed distracted as she held her sword in front of her prepared to parry a blow from an imaginary attacker. Kunzite watched her mesmerized by the sheer beauty of her pose. Time seemed frozen around her as she held still, not moving once despite the obvious weight of the sword.

"Minako," Kunzite finally spoke up, walking closer to approach her.

"Kunzite," she replied dryly still not moving from her pose nor turning her head to look at him.

"Did you defeat your opponent or are you waiting for one?" Despite her tone he kept his voice light.

"Are you offering a challenge?"

"If you see me as an opponent I'm going to assume that you are still angry with me."

"Well I guess that just shows that neither of us are that naïve." As she turned her head to look at him he noticed that her eyes were cold and emotionless.

Accepting her words as a challenge, he approached her and withdrew his own sword bringing it up to clang against her own. "I'm not going to leave here today with you angry at me."

"I would think you'd be use to it by now," she goaded him, swinging her sword with a downward motion so that the tip rested out against the ground. He matched her action and they stared off for a moment before he made the first move.

"And how long will you be mad at me this time?"

"Until you decide that you are done being pig-headed."

"Pig-headed? That's a new one from you." They continued to exchange blows with their swords. "You're leaving yourself open in your attack."

She frowned in response and picked up the intensity of her attack. "Then beat me." His response came in the form of a smile. He watched as she repeated the sequence of her attack and as soon as she swung her blade wide he lunged his sword at her side, the edge slicing the side of her fuku. She spun away too late, realizing that had he really been attacking her she would be dead. Her finger quickly raised and a beam of light shot from her finger. "Crescent Beam!"

Kunzite jumped out of the way gripping his sword tightly in anger. "I thought this was going to be a fair fight."

"And I thought that you promised to stop trying to 'protect' me as you put it."

"For the sake of our kingdoms -."

"Stop! Don't tell me about our kingdoms! This is about you and me. I am Serenity's guardian – I don't need one of my own. What you are doing is too much, it's overwhelming."

"I'm trying to do the right thing."

Venus walked over to him and shoved him so that he was pushed back several steps. "The right thing?"

"We can't let ourselves be distracted…."

"You pursued me. If not for you we wouldn't be in this situation right now."

"For me? I'm sure the feeling was mutual at the time."

"And it still is," her voice notably softened. "I have given you a choice. I want all of you or none of you. It's up to you which one it will be."

With a shake of his head he walked around her, watching her from each angle. She turned her head as far to each side as she could, keeping her eyes trained on his. "You favor your right side and expose your left. When you attack with your sword you need to break your pattern and make it less predictable instead of moving in a cycle." He came to a stop in front of her and brought his sword back up to eye level. Hesitantly she brought her sword back up as well. Again he made the first move and watched as she cycled through her usual pattern. 'Stubborn,' he thought to himself and he moved in to make his finishing blow to her undefended side. Although this time when he lunged she spun around from her opposite side and swung her blade down to rest along the side of his neck. "Better." He could hear her breath coming out fast and ragged from their work out, her frustration was written clearly on her face. She stood silently with her blade still pressed to his neck and he wondered for a moment if she was considering pushing the blade further. "Minako…." he started.

She shook her head signaling for him not to continue. "I don't want to hear your answer Kunzite. Perhaps it's best if you leave now with the rest of your party." Slowly she lowered the blade from his neck and took a step back.

He sheathed his own sword and in turn stepped forward to place his hand over her sword hand. His other hand moved to cup her face and she attempted to turn away from him, not wanting to hear his words and promises. "Minako," he started again bringing her face back to look at him. "You're right. It is unfair of me to act as your protector, you don't need me in that sense."

"Don't explain yourself to me," she pleaded.

"I'm not going to; I just wanted you to know that." He pulled her close and kissed her. "I want all of you Minako and I know it's only fair to give you all of me in return." Her eyes looked up at him full of hope at his words and he pressed his forehead down against hers. With a loud clang, her sword fell to the ground forgotten as she wrapped her arms around him. "When I return next, we'll try again." She nodded her head and he leaned forward to capture her lips in a kiss.


	25. Complete

Venus and Kunzite lay in his bed tangled in white sheets sans their clothing. Her arms were wrapped around his chest while her head rested against his left side, her head on his shoulder. His left arm was draped around her back and he gently kissed the top of her head. "I want you to stay with me," he mumbled into her hair, inhaling the sweet fragrance.

"I want to stay with you, but I can't," she looked up at him, bringing her chin to rest on his chest. "You can return with me."

"I can't do that either," he replied reaching out with his right hand to run his fingers through her hair.

"You were right about us," she said sadly. "We were better off as we were before. I don't think I can be without you now that I've had you."

"It wasn't worth it?"

"No," she answered quickly. "I would never do anything to take this moment back. It's just hard to know that we can never be together. My responsibilities to Serenity are eternal. Even when my time as a Senshi has finally passed, you will have been long gone from this world."

"I'll never be gone, Minako." Both of his arms wrapped around her and he held her tightly. "I love you."

Her eyes widened at his words and she quickly jumped up into a sitting position. "You do?"

He sat up leaning back on his left arm and intertwining their fingers with his right hand. "I do. Should I not?"

"No! I just never thought that you would say those words." She leaned forward enveloping her arms around his neck and kissed him as they fell back against the bed. He rolled her so that he laid on top of her, tangling their bodies even more so in the linens. "I love you too," she said breathily, kissing him again.

His hands cupped her face, holding her close to him. Suddenly he felt a pang in his chest and for a moment felt dizzy as if the wind had been knocked out of him. He pulled back from her and looked into her eyes. "What just happened?"

"A piece of me is in you, and a piece of you is in me. Now you will be eternal like I am."


	26. Confessions

The grand hallways of the Moon Palace laid sprawled out before the couple walking down the hall. Her blonde hair and orange fuku stood out brilliantly in contrast to the dim lighting and the white and silver colors embedded in the marble designs. These halls that they currently patrolled had long since been forgotten by the Palace inhabitants, but not to this couple. They strolled leisurely towards their destination, for a few moments unhurried by Palace life. "Are you sure it's worth it, Minako?" the silver haired man asked her as they walked arm in arm. His voice was firm and held a fatherly tone that she had long since become accustomed to.

"Yes, he is." The resolve in her voice was as short as her answer.

"You've been remiss in some of your duties around here. I felt that as your Guardian I should be the one to talk to you before anyone else starts to notice."

"I'm sorry."

"Is he more important than your Princess?" He could see the pensive look on her face as she prepared to answer his question. "I am here as your confidante."

This was a test. Everything was always a test. "No one is more important. I will guard her with my life." The answer to that question had been embedded into her mind long ago when she had accepted her responsibility as the head guardian to the future heir of the Moon Kingdom.

"Then maybe you should end things with the Earthling soldier – the leader of the Shitennou as they are called. He poses as a risk to all that you have worked for. It's time to move on."

"I can't move on," her hand came to rest in front of her chest, her palm resting softly against the orange bow of her fuku. "He's in here now. We made a promise to each other."

"Please tell me that you haven't been so foolish as to invoke your Venusian bond?" She slowly nodded her head while looking down at the ground ahead of her. "Does he understand what you have done?"

"I think so. It's not something that I meant to do, it just happened between us. He said that he wanted it this way."

"You will never be able to part yourself from him now. So I pose the question again – is he worth it?"

She stopped walking and turned to face the man in front of her. "He is worth my life."

"Then it is done," the man shook his head and they continued down the hallway in silence.


	27. The Beginning of the End

"This is the end for us isn't it?" Venus asked Kunzite as he leaned against the large tree trunk with his hands in his pockets. They stood alone on the Moon, as far from the Moon Palace as they could go. Overhead the Earth shone brightly as if it were a reminder of the distance growing between them, despite the close proximity of their bodies.

"It doesn't have to be, Minako," his voice was gruff despite the gentleness of his words.

"I would never betray my Princess the way you have forsaken your Prince," she spat, trying to hold back the flood of emotions threatening to take over. "What happened to you?"

"The people of Earth fear those of the Moon and I can't leave them to believe they have been left by those who are sworn to protect them."

"You can dispel those rumors if you so chose to. Why is it that you don't want to stop this battle?"

"I don't have a choice in the matter. This is my calling."

"You've sold your soul to the Devil that's what you've done," her eyes narrowed accusingly.

"I'm doing what is best for my planet and its inhabitants! Don't accuse me of doing the wrong thing. If the people of the Moon were to rebel against those of Earth where would you stand? Would you stand by my side and turn your back on them? Or would you do everything in your power to protect them?"

"There is nothing to protect them from. You know that we have no interest in hurting anyone. We are ruled by a peaceful sovereign who wants harmony for the Universe." He did not respond to her words and instead stood silently with his arms firmly crossed. Her hands were clenched into tight fists and she fought against the urge to physically lash out at him.

"I don't want to lose you, Minako, but I don't have a choice in the matter."

"Kunzite, please, talk to me."

"I can't talk to you anymore. This is for the best that we do this now." He reached forward and enveloped her in his arms, closing the distance between them. She fought against his grasp but he held firm not wanting to allow her to break their contact. Despite her strength he could tell that at the same time she was battling against herself to allow him to be so near to her. He leaned down and gently kissed her eyelids, pulling her head against his chest, where she finally stopped resisting.

They stood pressed up against the tree, trying to stay hidden from view. Her hair fluttered in the breeze and his brown blue-lined cape wrapped around their bodies. This attractive couple would normally be hard to miss except that they took every precaution when ducking away to make sure that no one would be able to follow them. For as long as time allowed they relaxed in each other's arms, glad to be able to share in this moment with each other. It was growing late and the air was becoming cooler and the woman shivered ever so slightly as the air ruffled the orange skirt of her fuku that no one would have noticed, save for him who could see through every look she gave him to know its true meaning. His hand pulled tighter against her waist, covered by a white top with orange bows and she allowed him to hold her closer. No one could ever touch this Goddess save for this one heavenly king who breathed in her scent and knew that he would never let her go, not as long as she allowed him to love her. This was all the more reason why she would have to stop loving him now. A darkness had started seeping into him that he could not explain, and for some reason he was afraid to confide this detail to her. This revelation startled him as he realized that this was the first time he had ever truly been afraid.

"I have to go now." Kunzite pulled away from her and started to walk away before his resolve faded.

"Will I see you again?" Venus called after him.

"I hope not," he answered so quietly that his words were carried away by the wind and never reached her ears.

She watched unmoving as the surreal moment continued to pass before her eyes. There was a change in him - that much she could sense. His uneasiness affected her and she couldn't help but to reflect the same emotion. Despite the battle that was surely raging inside of him, his outward appearance seemed unchanged. His gait was strong and even as normal; his shoulders remained squared as his cape fluttered behind him. The feeling of his arms around her lingered on her skin even as their physical distance continued to grow.


	28. Remorse

Some wounds never healSome tears never willDry for the unkindCry for mankindEven the dead cry- Their only comfortKill your friend, I dont careOrchid kids, blinded stare

"Your Princess is dead. Why do you continue fighting?"

"Do you not mourn at all for the loss of your Prince?"

"I feel nothing for him. He betrayed his kingdom and justice was swift."

Sailor Venus and Kunzite stood across from each other with their swords drawn. Both opponents appeared to be injured yet they both stood proudly wanting to fight until the end. All around them the Moon Palace lay in ruin and bodies rested upon the rubble. In the distance Venus could see her last Senshi struck down by one of the Generals and it pained her to know that this truly was the end. Her home had become a battlefield and the blood stained her hands as readily as it did the ground.

"He has not betrayed you. You betrayed him – you betrayed me!"

"I have given you the chance at salvation, it is only because of your will that we stand here fighting now. Surely you must realize that you are fighting a losing battle. All of your Senshi are dead and now there is no one left for you but me."

"While my Queen lives I still have hope. And as long as my heart continues to beat I will fight you with all my might."

"Then my Venus, I will have to stop that pretty heart of yours from beating any further. You will die a soldier just as you always wished." He charged at her with his sword and she brought hers up to block the strike. She would not win this physical battle against him and he knew that. There was only one chance to beat him and it would cost her dearly for her efforts. She closed her eyes for a moment and saw her Princess smiling at her, a gown of flowing white encircling her body. The image shifted and she saw her and Kunzite leaning against the tree, his arms wrapped around her as they shared their last meeting together. She knew what needed to be done and she would do so with no regrets. With renewed strength she opened her eyes and began her assault. With each strike of her sword he easily blocked like he was able to predict her next move. He had helped her to become a stronger swordsman and taught her many of her moves. There was no doubt that he was having fun watching her wear herself out. Training with him had been her greatest weakness in this battle, until now. She carelessly swiped her sword throwing her off balance. He was kick to pounce on this opening and ran his sword through her. It felt as if the air were being sucked out of her lungs as the pain began to overwhelm her senses. She fought the darkness that tried to overtake her vision knowing it was too soon. Confident of his victory he yanked his sword out of her and she bit back the scream that tried to erupt from her lips. He smiled maliciously as he approached her, grabbing a handful of her hair in his hand like he were helping to hold her up. "I told you that you could not defeat me my Minako."

She smiled as a trickle of blood ran out of her mouth. "I forgive you for what you've done Kunzite."

"I didn't ask for your forgiveness," he said disgustedly.

"I know," she smiled and pointed her finger at his chest. The molecules of his chest armor started to separate revealing his gray jacket underneath. "Metal is my element, I'm sure you knew that though." His eyes met hers and started to fill with realization of his grave mistake. "Crescent Beam!" Her attack powered up and blasted into his chest. His fingers uncurled from her hair and she dropped to the ground, her energy fully expended in that one last blast. He dropped to his knees by her side, all the color drained from his face. A gaping wound rested where his heart was and they both knew that it was as fatal as the one he delivered to her. "I never stopped loving you," she whispered.

"Then you're a fool," he replied softly.

"You promised me that we would always be together. Our bond will hold, and if you could see past this anger you would be able to find a piece of me in you….." A single tear fell from her eye. He reached forward and wiped the blood from her mouth. His hand tightly clasped her hand, securely intertwining their fingers. She smiled at his touch and closed her eyes, exhaling her final breath.

"I can feel you in here Minako," he whispered with the last of his strength. His body finally collapsed under the strain and he landed next to her. He laid there dying for some time with nothing but his guilt to remind him of his misdeeds. She was the last bit of humanity that remained of him and he killed her as thoughtlessly as he would swat at a fly. There would be no end to his culpability - even death would never put an end to his torment.


	29. We're Almost to the End

"Minako!" A girl's voice called out to her. "We're going to be late!" Makoto ran past her down the long hallway wearing a sleeveless pink gown that was held up by silken straps tied behind her neck, the ends trailing softly down her exposed back.

Rei came up from behind her and pulled on her right arm, dragging her down the white halls, the brown haired girl already out of sight. "Of all days, Minako….." her voice trailed off.

Minako tried to grasp her surroundings. She didn't know how she found herself in the hallways of the Moon Palace. The last thing she remembered she was outside-

"You're not going to wear that are you?" Rei asked, looking over the blonde haired girl as they ran.

She looked over at Rei and noticed that she also wore a pink colored gown that seemed to flow around her body as if it had a life of its own. The front of the dress was layered so that the gown seemed to wrap itself around the raven haired girl. Then she looked down at her arm being held tightly by the girl in front of her and noticed that she wore her sailor fuku, her once white gloves were now stained a coppery brown. Interesting, she didn't remember falling –

"We're never going to make it if you have to change first. It's too late now though." They stopped running as they reached a set of tall white doors. Rei pulled on the large silver handle and shoved Minako through. She stumbled as her orange heels caught on the carpeting, but righted herself when a strong arm reached out and caught her from her right side. Kunzite stared down at her, looking handsome as he was dressed in his Shitennou uniform and ceremonial armor. They started to walk slowly down the red lined carpet. Panicked, Minako turned her head and looked back to see Ami behind her wearing the same pink dress as Rei, only her dress had longer sleeves to it. Next to her stood Zoicite, who was dressed in similar armor to Kunzite's. They followed at the same slow pace behind her and Kunzite, arm in arm, whispering to each other as Minako had often seen them do.

"It's ok, Minako," Kunzite whispered reassuringly to her. "We're almost to the end."

Her eyes looked up at his not understanding what was happening. As she looked around she noticed rows of benches surrounded their walk way, several hundred sets of eyes watched them passing by, their faces were a blur. What was at the end –

"Smile my Princess," Kunzite whispered before kissing her cheek and giving her a gentle shove to the left. Serenity smiled softly, wearing a flowing white dress. The other Senshi came to stand next to her, all watching as their paired Shitennou took their place at Endymion's side. For a moment they were all together again. But why would they have been lost to -

"Endymion and I are married now," Serenity whispered to her. "I never want to be apart from him again, and now I won't have to be, we'll be together here forever."

Here? Where was here? Endymion reached for Serenity and kissed her. Minako watched them for a moment as they parted and stared into each other's eyes. She looked out to scan the crowd but found that everyone was gone. The rows of benches that once held hundreds of spectators were now empty. Confused she turned back to Serenity but found she was alone at the altar. What was happening? Where did everyone go? What was she missing?

She ran over to the exit on her left and pulled the door open, cautiously stepping into a pitch black room. A loud creak could be heard as the door fell shut behind her, trapping her in the vast emptiness. Her hands reached out around her, trying to find anything, and gasped when another hand grasped her own tightly, their fingers becoming securely intertwined. Kunzite stepped in front of her and somehow they became illuminated in the darkness.

"We're at the end now, Minako."

The end? Words would not come to her as she allowed herself to be embraced by him.

"I'm sorry that it happened this way. I love you." He kissed her and a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"Minako," a voice called faintly around her. She would not allow herself to be released from Kunzite's grasp despite the familiarity of the voice calling to her. The magic that illuminated them slowly faded out until there was nothing but darkness.

"She's gone, Artemis," Luna whispered softly to the white haired man kneeling over the form of the still blonde on the ground. Blood surrounded her small frame, her white fuku and blonde locks stained by the sticky substance. The fighting surrounding them had come to an end once Queen Selenity called upon the awe-inspiring power of the Silver Crystal. Luna and Artemis had gone in search of the Senshi but were horrified to find that one by one each had been mercilessly killed. There was nothing left of the Moon Palace, it's once beautiful essence was now tarnished by the same evil that blackened out the blue planet the Princess had been so infatuated with. The only thing that was left of this serene civilization was the two advisors from Mau and their dying Queen. Only the soldier of death with her blessed glaive of silence could end all of their suffering now.

"We're at the end now, Minako." Tears rolled from Artemis's eyes as he kissed his charge on the forehead one last time. "I'm sorry that it happened this way. I love you," he whispered softly as he stood up slowly, allowing Luna to wrap her arms around him sympathetically. They looked once more at Venus's body, taking the time to glance at the silver haired Shitennou who laid at her side, his blood intermingling with her own. His hand had clasped tightly around her's, their fingers securely intertwined.

Luna looked up to Artemis with sad eyes. "We need to go to Selenity, we're almost to the end."

Fin

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